WALCOT boxer Said Eltuyev kick-started his professional career on Saturday night with a convincing four-round decision over Yorkshireman Danny Little at the Dolman Exhibition Hall in Bristol.

Eltuyev was given a clear 39-37 verdict by referee Lee Cook at the conclusion of the bout and the former New College student was thrilled to get through his tough introduction to boxing’s paid ranks.

“It was great to have so much support from Swindon, with all of my coaches from the Walcott club here,” said Eltuyev.

“It would have been nice to finish my opponent early, but actually it is good for me to experience going the full distance.

“I tried to set a really fast pace and had hoped to keep it up, but he is a really tough man and I had to adapt.”

Eltuyev started quickly in the first round by forcing Little back to the ropes and launching eye-watering body shots into the midriff of his more experienced opponent.

When Little’s hands started to drop, Eltuyev expertly switched his attack to the head and fired hard straight right hands over his foe’s guard.

Little, who has had in excess of 50 pro bouts, used his experience to weather the early storm and by the middle of the fight, Eltuyev was forced to adjust his style.

He choose to fire straighter flurries of punches from long distance, which again took the play away from his foe.

Veteran Little finished the fight strongly as he marched ahead and placed the Swindon debutant under pressure over the last three minutes.

Eltuyev, a former competitor in the World Amateur Championships, needed his know-how from the unpaid code to safely negotiate the full course and was rightly awarded the verdict after the final bell.

Post-fight, Eltuyev revealed that the body attack had been part of the game plan.

He said: “I believe that going to the body is a really important factor in a fight and I have focusing on my body shots in the gym.”

Eltuyev will next be in action at the MECA in Swindon on December 8 on the undercard of the Neilson Boxing-promoted 'Kings of the Ring' show, headlined by Swindon welterweight contender Ryan Martin.