After three-and-a-half years in the boxing wilderness Abass Baraou lived up to his billing as a rising force by turning back the gallant Sam Eggington by 12-round majority decision at the Telford International Centre in Telford, England on Friday evening.

The two couldn't be separated on Freddy Rafn's scorecard, 114-114, but were outvoted by Mika Lindgren 117-112 and Jean-Robert Laine 117-111, who scored for Baraou. With the win, Baraou claims the vacant European junior middleweight title, and also wins a WBA title eliminator.

Baraou (15-1, 9 knockouts), whose only loss came against compatriot Jack Culcay, was determined not to suffer the same fate and started fast. He was met in center ring by Eggington but it was the visitor’s greater poise that helped him edge matters in the early stages.

The 29-year-old German was a little more economical and used some movement to off-set Eggington, who was kept honest with a variety of shots.

The two threw down in an excellent third round, standing and exchanging in center ring before an eye-catching left send the Brit's mouth guard flying out of his mouth.

Eggington, who had previously held the EBU title at welterweight, bounced back with a good fourth but the pattern was set and both were fiercely determined, neither relenting, whaling away in a fight that often could have taken place in a phone booth.

While many rounds were close it was Baraou, who appeared to be a step ahead and bossed segments of the round and chose when to box and when to fight fire with fight.

Baraou broke through with a volley of punches that hurt Eggington, who to his credit hung tough but was showing signs of wear and tear and returned to his corner with a cut over his left eye at the end of the ninth-round.

Both continued to have their successes though it felt as though Baraou was having more of the big moments in the fight.

Eggington was hurt on a couple of occasions in a barnstorming Round 11 but showed tremendous heart and fired back each time it looked like he was going to get overwhelmed.

In the final round both men left everything out there and went toe-to-toe and embraced at the end of the fight.

Afterwards the emotional Baraou was lost for words, in tears and was unable to complete his post-fight interview with TV, such was his joy at winning.

This win puts Baraou in the thick of things at junior middleweight. He is a man with options, something he hasn't had for a while. He can defend his new title or push on to face the winner of next week’s WBA title fight between Israil Madrimov and Magomed Kurbanov.

Eggington, a young veteran at 30, can rest up and look for another opportunity.