Andre Lambe announced himself as a contender for some big fights in the United States after winning the ABA welterweight championship in Texas on Saturday night.

Lambe won 78-74 on all three judges scorecards after producing a superb performance to outpoint Kenzo Casteneda.

Before the fight Lambe had predicted that Casteneda would be aggressive and he was proved right but southpaw Lambe, 29, was brilliant with his movement avoiding his opponents increasingly desperate shots.

But that is not to say that Lambe was too defensive as his counterpunching was on point despite Casteneda throwing at least five low blows that were unpunished by the referee.

Lambe won by six rounds to two on every scorecard but was unlucky not to win all eight rounds with his snappy jab and counter hooks catching the eye in the first four rounds.

Casteneda, perhaps realising that the fight was slipping away with him, attempted to draw Lambe into a war in the second half of the fight but Lambe was then content to mix it and had far too much ringcraft for his opponent to come close to challenging him.

Lambe dropped to his knees in the middle of the ring after the result was announced and with some of boxing’s big promoters at ringside, his phone is likely to be ringing with potential matchups in the near future.

More to follow . . .