Brown (6-0, 6 KOs) had blown through his first five professional opponents in one-sided fashion and although the tough Czech proved good and tough enough to extend him into the middle rounds, he was steadily worn down by the Mancunian's uncompromising pressure and power.

Brown felt his way into the fight and steadily upped the pressure as the rounds passed. Ducar (19-8-2, 14 KOs) isn't the type to fold and managed to land the type of shots Brown won't be able to absorb from the cruiserweight division's top operators, though the 26-year-old walked through them.

He finished the night with a swollen left hand and a solid name on his record but - most importantly - eight invaluable rounds of experience under his belt.

"He's a tough operator," Brown said post-fight. "It's my sixth fight. I've never gone past four rounds before and even in sparring, never really gone ten rounds, I've only ever gone six to eight and learned a lot in there tonight.

"I knew he was tough, that's why I started slow and was just reading him a little bit. Obviously, there's a lot of things to take from it and that's why I'm getting fast-tracked and getting in there quick, because I believe in myself. That's better than stopping him in the first or second round and why I took my time properly. He’s a tough, tough man."

Current English champion John Hedges (12-0, 3 KO) made the journey up from London and climbed into the ring after the fight, expecting to officially announce a defense of his title against Brown.

Although the tall, slick Hedges would provide an altogether different type of test than Ducar, Brown almost immediately poured cold water on the idea of fighting the unbeaten southpaw.

"No, to be honest. Because I wanted that fight for tonight," he said bluntly when asked about the matchup.

"And due to political reasons it didn't happen. So that ship's sailed in my head now, the English title. I want to go on beyond. If he fights Vasil Ducar and proves that he can mix it with me, then I'll do it with him, of course. I've got full respect for him but that ship's sailed. I wanted that to be tonight."