Meager failed to withstand the onslaught from Thaxton

The Norwich man floored Meager with a sweeping right hook in the final round before securing the win via 118-109, 118-110, 119-110 judges' verdicts.

Thaxton, 32, said: "It's 14 years since I turned professional and it's always been my dream to win a Lonsdale Belt.

"I am sure there are easier ways to do it but I have finally done it."

The victory marked a remarkable boxing comeback for Thaxton, whose best days had appeared to be over after stretching Ricky Hatton to points in 2000, and the remainder of his career being punctuated by long periods of inactivity.

All credit to Lee Meager because he took some tremendous punishment and he just kept coming Jonathan Thaxton

But on Friday evening he looked back at his best, drilling Meager with left hooks and leaving the 28-year-old champion with blood seeping from a cut above his right eye at the end of round two.

By the middle stages of the bout, Meager battled back and inflicted an increasingly bad cut around Thaxton's right eye.

But Thaxton responded by temporarily stunning Meager with a roundhouse right at the end of the sixth before underlining his dominance with a sweeping final-round knockdown.

"All credit to Lee Meager because he took some tremendous punishment and he just kept coming," he added.