SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND -- Seven months after symbolically leaving his gloves in the Wembley ring to signal retirement from a sport that has given him so much, former two-time world featherweight champion Josh Warrington returned with a 10-round unanimous decision (99-89, 99-90, 97-91) win against Asad Asif Khan.

The 26-fight pro standing opposite him had just taken Michael Conlan eight rounds in Brighton at the start of March and was clearly being utilised as a measuring stick to see just how much Warrington had left in the tank, having been pleasantly surprised by his sharpness in the gym prior to this fight announcement.

The Leeds legend's return was the chief support bout on a Sheffield bill headlined by WBC's No.1-ranked junior-welterweight contender Dalton Smith's return against Mathieu Germain, with four of the seven-fight card televised on DAZN.

Warrington (32-4-1, 8 KOs) pressed with a high guard early and was naturally the aggressor against unheralded opposition, though he needed to make a statement.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn had just named him as a potential Josh Padley opponent after the Armthorpe man's triumphant stoppage victory in the evening's previous fight, so a similar performance would've been perfectly-timed on this occasion.

Warrington winged wildly in the third, successful in stages and muddying his work at times elsewhere as Khan (19-7-1, 5 KOs) was afforded a reprieve after losing his gumshield after a frantic exchange centre ring.

Jabs were lighting the Indian up, though he was also being beaten to the punch in their clinch exchanges and Warrington's corner, featuring WBA Continental lightweight champion Maxi Hughes (28-7-2, 6 KOs), made their happiness known.

Khan again had his gumshield fly out early in the fifth and almost paid the ultimate price, stopping in expectation that referee Mark Lyson to pause at that moment. He certainly didn't, Warrington gladly worked away to head and body while the 31-year-old visibly complained, before they were eventually separated.

Fans went from bored to pure frustration with Khan's protestations at the end of a fiery fifth and that preceded the sixth, where haymakers landed flush as Warrington scored an early knockdown.

Deducted a point after the third gumshield-related foul, Warrington's contingent of supporters chanted "he's had enough," though Khan held firm to hear the stanza's final bell.

His chances of going another 12 minutes though, were dwindling with each passing shot he absorbed flush on the chin and any tight defensive guard would've been long abandoned if he wanted to keep this competitive.

Khan had blood streaming down his left eye to finish the seventh, Warrington's threat of a late finish lingering as he dug downstairs and the arena's atmosphere was waiting for this former world champion to put his foot on the accelerator again.

Single shots made Khan unsteady, Warrington cuffing right hands at short-range when it would've been better to step back and properly pierce through a weary guard.

Into the final two rounds they went, action between them increasingly scrappy in close quarters and less noteworthy overall as time ticked by. Despite more snappy shots, that's how it would finish as Warrington couldn't finish with a flourish.