LUKE Watkins returned to the ring showing patience and skill as he comfortably outpointed Tamas Bajzath over eight rounds at the Oasis Leisure Centre.

The Duke had been out of the ring for eight months due to illness and injury but there were little signs of ring rust as he dominated a man who had gone the distance with former IBF cruiserweight world champion Firat Arslan.

The unbeaten 25-year-old worked beautifully off his left-lead jab that pushed Bajzath, who was stopped in two rounds by English champion Matty Askin in the summer, back time and time again.

Watkins, who had stopped three of his four previous opponents coming into this bout, boxed sensibly and varied his combinations as the durable 32-year-old sustained the power that the Paddy Fitzpatrick-trained fighter delivered en route to his 80-72 success on Saturday night.

“The jab is the most important weapon, the most important part of your arsenal, I consistently work on it and I think that it is my best shot,” Watkins said.

“I try to vary my jab as much as I can, I watch jabs online, I love to watch Floyd (Mayweather), he jabs down to the body so beautifully and I felt that I did that.

“I never go out there looking for a knockout, I always prepare myself to do the distance and tonight I’m glad that I did the distance, it is a feather in my cap.

“I know I can go eight rounds, I know that I can control eight rounds, I have the fitness for eight rounds – I have the fitness for 10.

“Some good guys have fought that guy, he is not a bum, he has been up against some good opposition and I added my name to the list of wins over him.”

Watkins revealed after fight that he nearly had to pull due to medical issues with the British Boxing Board of Control following the illness he had in the spring.

But with the help of several people to get him sanctioned, the Duke was delighted to get the win.

“I liked to thank a couple of people because without them I wouldn’t have boxed, they bent over backwards for me; they helped every step to get in that ring,” Watkins added.

“My coach (Fitzpatrick), he was great, then Jack Hughes (who helped liaise with the board) and then Dr Heaton up in Old Town, a tremendous man (who conducted the medical tests for Watkins to get him cleared to fight).

“Without all three of them tonight wouldn’t have happened.”