IPSWICH, England - It wasn't an overwhelming onslaught nor the devastating ending many expected once the fight was confirmed, though Pierce O'Leary outboxed a game Liam Dillon over twelve rounds to win EBU European junior welterweight honours.

The scores read 117-111, 116-112, 115-113 after O'Leary started purposefully with body work in particular and was unbothered by the spirited resistance flashing back his way at close-range, though guilty of being one-paced at times and not turning the screw during their chief support billing.

Much like what unfolded 200 miles north with Callum Simpson claiming the European super middleweight title at Barnsley's Oakwell Stadium an hour later, there's a steady clamour for the 25-year-old to climb towards the top of a 140-pound division in frequent flux.

Five defences of his WBC International title banked, the Liverpool-based boxer (17-0, 9 KOs) sits at No. 10 in their rankings and has been consistent in hopes that a big fight would serve as the springboard to enhanced exposure. A proposed Irish homecoming went cold earlier this year but now, a tentative August timeline is planned for Dublin's 3Arena.

WBC's No. 1-ranked contender Dalton Smith (18-0, 13 KOs) and IBO world titleholder Adam Azim (13-0, 10 KOs) are unbeaten talents on rival promotions in Matchroom and BOXXER, while Queensberry boast a busy 140-pound stable themselves.

British and Commonwealth champion Jack Rafferty (26-0, 17 KOs) has called on an in-house matchup with Mark Chamberlain (17-1, 12 KOs), while O'Leary is steadily rising on his own trajectory.

Jamie Conlan, O'Leary's manager, knows neither Azim or Smith - the two most recent European titleholders - will be next for his charge but harbours hopes the trio will face off in lucrative future bouts.

He told Irish-boxing.com: "These are three of the best prospects not just in Britain and Ireland but the world. They're on their own trajectories at present, but hopefully they'll all be meeting in future, potentially in world title fights.

"Smith is probably at the head of the queue right now because he's next in line for a world title with the WBC, rightfully so. He's a fantastic fighter but I believe Ireland has a potential superstar on our hands in Pierce - inside, outside the ring - he does everything right, just needs the platform and the right fights."

Ben Shalom declined an offer to match Azim with O'Leary for the Chris Eubank Jr-Conor Benn undercard on April 26, while reports suggest Warren had tried making O'Leary vs. Smith and former world title challenger Jack Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs) without success.

O'Leary hinted in the build-up to this bout that an even bigger fight was in the offing, potentially in Saudi Arabia at year's end, provided he prevailed. Warren credited Dillon's display as an underdog coming up two weight divisions, before echoing that optimism for 'Big Bang' as the Joe McNally-trained contender steps up the levels.

"Pierce isn't far off boxing for a world title, but I've got to take my hat off for Liam," Warren told The Ring.

"He gritted his teeth and hung in there, though Pierce was just too much for him. It was a good performance and he'll be in a serious fight, it's what he deserves and what we've been trying to get."