CO-OP LIVE ARENA, MANCHESTER -- Both played their part in what quickly became a boisterous fight week build-up for British heavyweight honours and yet, after five slow-burning rounds, David Adeleye's left hook suddenly landed flush on Jeamie Tshikeva early in the sixth round to claim the title Fabio Wardley vacated last month.

The second of two title fights, this was the chief support bout on the televised portion of Queensberry's DAZN streaming debut, headlined by Joe Joyce vs. Filip Hrgovic.

Referee Ron Kearney was busier than both in the early going, ticking them off for excessive holding, punching when he told them to break and it was predictably untidy in close quarters, with a whole host of domestic heavyweights watching on.

Frazer Clarke as well as TKV's stablemates Moses Itauma and Fabio Wardley were all rooting for the underdog, the latter having iced Adeleye in Riyadh 18 months ago.

Adeleye whipped a few looping left hands late in the second to get the crowd stirring, while Tshikeva boxed well off the jab and landed on more than a few occasions as he was clearly point-scoring - probably ahead on pure active alone.

The official continued trying to clean up their messy exchanges during a third stanza without much action as the crowd grew increasingly restless, infrequent waves of danger not enough given the heated fight week build-up.

Adeleye cuffed a left and right in centre ring, though his attacks weren't active enough to give Tshikeva anything to worry about. Midway through the fifth, he connected on a three-punch combo with the older man briefly against the ropes but there was more dirty boxing and insufficient pressure by the heavy favourite.

Both were guilty of rough-housing in the pocket, fouling and ignoring the official's instructions but his inability to take charge proved decisive as Tshikeva was caught clean by a left hook up close when Kearney gesticulated for them to break and moments later, the Tottenham resident was crumbled in a heap on the canvas.

He barely beat the referee's count, Adeleye unloaded a flurry and the end was nigh as Tshikeva again found himself in survival mode. It was futile, several ringside incensed by the official's perceived incompetence - including TKV's corner - while Wardley was unimpressed and Clarke made clear his intentions to fight Adeleye.

Adeleye likened his finish to the one he suffered against Wardley and urged his supporters not to criticise the loser, considering they've known each other since they were teenagers and it wouldn't be right to dismiss a fighter after a defeat. Given the contentious ending, you can sense this storyline isn't quite over just yet, whether that be an immediate rematch or another pivot after an unsatisfactory ending.

Heavyweight: David Adeleye TKO6 (0:55) Jeamie Tshikeva

Junior-welterweight: Jack Rafferty TKO5 (2:26) Cory O'Regan

Heavyweight: Delicious Orie UD4 (40-36) Milos Veletic

Junior-welter: Khaleel Majid UD10 (97-94, 96-94, 96-95) Alex Murphy

Super-featherweight: Royston Barney-Smith UD8 (80-72) Cesar Ignacio Paredes

Junior-welter: Mark Chamberlain UD8 (80-72) Miguel Angel Scaringi

Featherweight: Nelson Birchall KO1 (1:31) Rodrigo Matias Areco

Super-middleweight: Ramtin Musah UD4 (40-36) Robbie Chapman

Super-bantamweight: Louis Szeto UD4 (38-37) Nabil Ahmed

Featherweight: Alfie Middlemiss UD4 (40-37) Alexander Morales