JUNAID Bostan didn't have it all his own way, dancing with danger and fortunate to avoid being knocked down at least once, but emerged from a scrappy 10-round affair against Bilal Fawaz with his unbeaten record still intact after a split draw.

97-93 Fawaz, 96-94 Bostan, 95-95 read the scorecards as the English super-welterweight championship last held by Lee Cutler (15-1, 7 KOs) remained vacant.

On a night where Matchroom's young prospects were expected to be tested as they step up the levels, this encounter ultimately proved a fitting co-feature, preceding George Liddard vs. Derrick Osaze live on DAZN.

Bostan (10-0-1, 8 KOs) didn't know what to make of Fawaz (9-1-1, 3 KOs) during fight week, at times engaging in the pantomime of it all and others, genuinely confused why a man 14 years his senior - privileged to be at this level - felt he had a serious chance.

One swing round here and Fawaz would've pulled off the upset. This proved precisely the sort of character-building contest needed, if he's to reach his Starboy potential. Intent on showing a perceived difference in levels, you saw why early -- sharp jabs and one-two combination punching were ever-present from Bostan's hands from the opening minute.

Fawaz's wild swings were met with showmanship after a tense opener, the underdog walking forward intently to start the second and being met with resistance aplenty while being more positive and by the same token, wading into the fire.

His high guard emboldened him forward before the referee admonished the 36-year-old for throwing uppercuts in the clinch after he'd told them to break, though Bostan was taking his time while Fawaz expended energy to largely hit air. More of the same came in the third, Bostan's single shots doing enough to score cleanly.

Midway through the fourth, Fawaz should've been awarded a knockdown after a right-left flurry at close-range wobbled Bostan, needing the ropes to hold himself up momentarily.

Suddenly, this was bubbling up nicely and the heavy underdog should've spent more time engaging, rather than pretending to play possum and giving the unbeaten prospect a chance at respite.

More of the same came in the fifth, Fawaz taking the shine off some effective work with needless histrionics as Bostan looked to punch with him in the pocket, though this was increasingly scrappy.

Early in the sixth, Bostan landed a crowd-pleasing left hook before Fawaz fired back with more flurries and a beautiful straight right as the aggressor's confidence grew.

There was a sense of deja vu in the seventh, Bostan landing a nice right early before Fawaz took over the round and unloaded combinations against a weary-looking favourite in the corner. An uppercut through the guard, followed by sweeping shots prompted a cry of "hands up!" from the Rotherham talent's ringside supporters, noticeably reduced output and the youngster needed a second wind.

Overextending in the eighth and circling the ring, the round's most notable moment came at the end as referee Lee Every signalled for a timeout, was ignored, before giving a stern warning in Fawaz's direction. Lectured for 20 seconds before the ninth began, Bilal found a home for straight shots and let his hands go as Bostan's intermittent attacks persisted.

Fawaz flickered between frustrating and fantastic in the finale, waiting too long to capitalise on a visibly fatigued Bostan, before unleashing hellacious work with straight punches and more clever punching at close-range in the last minute.

"Even a blind man can see he was outboxed! All we can do is our best, he's a great fighter but I'm better," Fawaz stressed on DAZN post-fight before tensions predictably rose between them, standing side-by-side pre-emptively building an immediate rematch.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn said he scored it 6-4 in Bostan's favour after appearing to edge the final two rounds, while the Rotherham resident expressed his desire to atone for a disappointing display by headlining a future show in Sheffield.

"It was a close fight and could've gone either way. No excuses but Bilal didn't do anything I wasn't expecting... that was his best, I should've been better on the night. A draw in my head is a loss, another dead performance, let me get my lick back."