ADAM Machaj maintained the unbeaten start to his professional career with a points victory over Hrvoje Kisicek.

The Oswaldtwistle heavyweight failed to deliver the knock-out he’d been hoping for but stretched his record to 4-0 by earning a unanimous decision in Bolton.

Cheered on by over 100 fans, ‘the Heatseeker’ almost stopped his plucky Croatian opponent early on and remained the aggressor throughout the four rounds.

“I caught him with some good early shots and the referee said he would have stopped it after 30 seconds if I’d stayed on him,” said Machaj. “He’s a tough fella. He covered up so I pummelled him for four rounds. I must’ve hit him 300 times but a lot of them hit his gloves or ribs.

“I was getting two or three-shot combinations that had him rocking. If I’d have stayed on him and put together some five or six-shot combo’s then I’d have got the knock-out so I learnt a lot from it.

“He only caught me two or three times and I felt as strong in the fourth round as I did in the first so that showed I’ve got the stamina.

“I probably needed that,” he added. “I think experiencing a fight like that now will do be more good than if it came eight or nine fights in.”

After sparring with David Price before the fight, Machaj could now spar with Dereck Chisora in the build-up to his grudge match with Tyson Fury in Manchester on July 26.

As for Machaj, the 26-year-old has circled September 6 for his next fight, as part of the show at King George’s Hall in Blackburn.

“It’ll be much bigger,” he said. “I’m hoping to shift over 200 tickets next time and there’ll be less pressure on me because I don’t have to worry about keeping my knock-out record going now.

“I don’t know who I’m fighting yet but we’re looking to make a step up in opponent and to a six-rounder.”

Fellow local fighter Luke Blackledge is also set to feature on the Blackburn bill.