Stuart Hall battled through a brutal war with Rodrigo Guerrero to earn the chance to win back his IBF world bantamweight title.
The Darlington man edged a non-stop 12-round eliminator in Leeds, which could well set up a rematch with Lee Haskins, who not only currently owns the belt 'Stuey' used to, but who beat him via a unanimous decision four years ago.
Hall won a similar decision on Saturday night with the crowd at the Leeds First Direct Arena behind him but few expected all three judges to score it so widely, never mind all in his favour.
Guerrero played his part in a close-fought classic but it was little consolation, especially when plenty of home supporters and promoter Eddie Hearn were left surprised by the 117-111, 117-111 and 117-111 scoring.
A cautious and cagey start lasted a little more than a minute into the fight with the Mexican following national fighting-tradition and charging in, ready for a close-quarters scrap.
Hall though was happy to stay out of range and whenever Guerrero plundered in, he was able to pick him off with his right but by the end of the second, it was the sort of battle the Central Americans adore.
Guerrero though had other ideas. An accidental clash of heads in the third opened up a cut and while his legendary compatriots would simply deal with it and usually double their efforts, 'Gatito' immediately complained to the referee.
Eventually, he decided to turn his frustration to the Darlington man and by the end of the third, both were standing swapping big shots, although Hall often landed the last punch. His right to the ribs and the simple straight counter added to Guerrero's annoyance.
The doctor was called to look at the cut before the fourth began but it was good enough to go again - and so were both bantamweights. The distance between them got shorter but the punch stats increased, Hall putting combinations together and Guerrero working close-in and catching him with his own right.
Hall though held the upper hand through the middle rounds - his composure keeping him out of too much trouble - and in the end of the seventh, he had the Mexican pinned on the ropes, landing plenty of bodyshots. At 28, Guerrero looked like he might already be running out of gas.
Another clash of heads had Guerrero complaining again but this time, it seemed to re-ignite his energy and for the next two rounds, the power shifted, Hall covering up and 'Gatito' bombarding him high, low, left and right at will.
Hall was then caught with a sharp left-right in the ninth and was ticked off again after the umpteenth clash of heads in a classic close-up war. Little changed in the 10th, the volume of Guerrero's punches impressive, but Hall's accuracy still shining through.
And although the final two rounds continued in the same ferocious pace, Hall was caught less and less, and while the Mexican was marked, cut and continued to come forward, the home fighter barely had a mark on him.
It showed he did well to avoid Guerrero for 12 gruelling rounds and with his bodyshots still firing from start to finish and his right rarely missing, the 36-year-old looked to have done enough.