MANCHESTER, England — Joe Cordina comfortably won in his return from a 13-month layoff Saturday night.

The two-time IBF junior lightweight champion unanimously outpointed Mexico’s Jaret Gonzalez in their 10-round lightweight fight on the Jack Catterall-Harlem Eubank undercard at AO Arena. The judges’ scorecards were all wide and in Cordina’s favour.

Bob Williams gave Cordina every round, scoring the fight 100-90. Marta Leszner saw it 99-91 and Nermin Adrovic had the fight 98-92 for Wales’ Cordina, who improved to 18-1 (9 KOs). Gonzalez (17-2, 13 KOs) also had his five-fight winning streak come to an end.

Cordina claimed domestic titles at lightweight on his rise through the ranks, but had spent the last four years campaigning at the junior lightweight limit of 130 pounds.

Looking strong and composed, Cordina took the centre of the ring. Gonzalez was game, but has spent the vast majority of his own career campaigning at junior lightweight and below, and the natural difference in size was immediately apparent. A fast, accurate right hand from Cordina was the most eye-catching shot of the opening round.

Cordina showed the hand speed that made him such a threat during his world title campaigns and he landed well picked straight shots as the aggressive Gonzalez attacked. He also looked much more robust and comfortable under fire than he did at the end of his 130-pound title reign.

Gonzalez answered the bell for the fifth round intent on changing the course of the fight. He attacked Cordina from the opening bell and initiated some hard exchanges, at one point seeming to buzz him with a left hook. Cordina showed no signs of retreating and began to land with hard straight rights of his own as the round ended.

Gonzalez continued to try hard, but every success was answered by Cordina, who as well as being bigger, was the quicker, more skilled fighter.

He tightened his grip as the rounds passed and although Gonzalez continued to spit venom his way, Cordina drew much of his sting and was in control until the final bell sounded.

In a 10-round lightweight contest earlier Saturday night, Aqib Fiaz (14-1, 2 KOs) was too strong and active for a determined Alex Murphy (13-2) and fought his way to a unanimous-decision victory.

Murphy accepted the fight on 12 days’ notice when Fiaz’s original opponent, Michael Gomez Jr, withdrew with a wrist injury. Murphy still started quickly, using his speed and movement to set the tone.

Taller and longer, Murphy set out to use his jab to keep Fiaz at bay, but the Oldham man managed to draw him into a couple of inside exchanges as an interesting opening round came to an end.

Salford’s Murphy began moving almost exclusively to his left in a bid to negate Fiaz’s dangerous left hook. For the most part, the plan worked, as he landed some classy straight shots as well as preventing Fiaz from setting his feet.

When his feet stopped, Fiaz suddenly looked dangerous with his shorter, sharper punches.

Fiaz began to force Murphy to spend more and more time in punching range. By the end of the fifth, those chopping left hooks had caused Murphy’s right eye to begin to close.

The battle lines were drawn. When Murphy could keep Fiaz at range, he was able to score with clean shots, but whenever they came inside, Fiaz landed the cleaner, harder punches.

Fiaz and Murphy traded hard shots in the seventh round. First, they traded solid body shots and then flush right hands.

Fiaz seemed to get just the better of each exchange and although a lot of the rounds were closely contested, Fiaz’s punches were more eye-catching. He gave the impression of being the man in charge and the man dictating where most of the action was taking place.

After 10 rounds, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards. Bob Williams had Fiaz winning 97-93, Marcus McDonnell had it 96-94, whilst John Latham had Fiaz ahead 96-95.