LAS VEGAS — Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez delivered just the type of entertainment Turki Alalshikh sought for the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford undercard.

Their bravest efforts weren't enough Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium, however, for Mbilli or Martinez to leave the ring with the win he needed to demand a shot at the Alvarez-Crawford winner.

Their high-intensity slugfest resulted in a seemingly fitting split draw that warrants an immediate rematch. Judge Patricia Morse Jarman scored Martinez a 97-93 winner, but Chris Migliore scored their all-action contest 96-94 for Mbilli. Glenn Feldman scored the 10-rounder 95-95.

CompuBox’s unofficial punch stats favored Martinez, who was credited for landing 412 of 980 punches, 139 more than Mbilli (273 of 787).

Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) and Martinez (19-0-1, 16 KOs) displayed tremendous chins as they took countless power punches throughout their 30 minutes of fast-paced brutality.

He didn’t win, but Montreal’s Mbilli, 30, made his first defense of the WBC interim 168-pound title he won when he technically knocked out Poland’s Maciej Sulecki (33-4, 13 KOs) in the first round June 27 in Quebec City, Canada.

The Cameroon native also maintained his status as the WBC’s mandatory challenger for the Alvarez-Crawford winner.

Guatemala’s Martinez, 29, showed what he could do against a top opponent on the grandest stage imaginable. One of Crawford’s primary sparring partners, he accepted the risky Mbilli bout because it could’ve thrust him into position for a title shot had he won.

Mbilli, ranked No. 1 among The Ring’s super middleweight contenders, and Martinez slugged it out right up until the final bell, which drew a rousing ovation from the huge crowd at the Raiders’ home stadium. The 10th round resembled each of the previous nine, as each landed his fair share of punches while barely taking a backward step.

Martinez’s left uppercut caught Mbilli with about 1:45 left in the ninth round. A sharp Martinez also landed a right-left uppercut combination, but he couldn’t hurt Mbilli.

A determined Mbilli still pressed forward and made Martinez take deep breaths as he tried to fend him off.

Mbilli and Martinez traded punishing power punches on the inside throughout the final minute of the eighth as the thoroughly entertaining exchanges drew applause from the appreciative crowd.

Martinez’s left uppercut connected twice in the first half of the seventh. Mbilli caught him with a right hand just after the halfway point and appeared to land more punches in those three minutes.

Martinez split his guard with a right uppercut in the sixth. A straight right got Mbilli’s attention with just under a minute to go.

Mbilli landed several flush rights in the fifth, but Martinez took his power well. A left hook by Mbilli made him reset his feet a few seconds before the round came to an end.

Martinez’s right stopped Mbilli temporarily from attacking with 35 seconds remaining in the fourth.

Martinez attempted to create space in an action-packed third round by pushing Mbilli backward. It didn’t work.

Martinez’s left uppercut connected with just under a minute to go in the second. Another left uppercut landed toward the end of the round.

Mbilli attacked Martinez, who countered him with several punches, as soon as the fight began. Mbilli came forward anyway and unloaded an array of power punches.