Amateur light-welterwight champion Michael Grant celebrated his debut fight as a professional boxer with a victory over seasoned campaigner David Kehoe.

Grant, hailing from Enfield, beat Kehoe on points after the fight had gone the scheduled four rounds. Kehoe, from Northampton, had a record of nine wins, 23 defeats and three draws before his meeting with Grant at the Equinox, Leicester Square, on Saturday night. Kehoe is ranked 41st in the list of British light-welterweights, which is headed by undisputed world champion Ricky Hatton. The division also boasts another amateur just starting out in the professional scene, Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan.

Grant could not emulate Khan's debut a week earlier, when the Bolton man stopped his opponent in less than two minutes, but he did enough against a stubborn and heavy Kehoe to chalk up his first win as a professional.

Grant's preparations were not helped by the last-minute change of opponent the first he knew he was fighting Kehoe was when the Northampton man stepped into the ring.

Kehoe did his best to disrupt Grant, continually holding him in an effort to disrupt his rhythm and stop him getting off his punches. In the end, though, Grant's superior class told.

His mother Sharon Lowe said: "He Kehoe was holding a lot and the referee kept telling him it wasn't a wrestling match and warned him for holding. Michael just wanted to box him and his trainers were very pleased with him."

Reflecting on the night, she said: "It was a brilliant night. I was fine until he walked into the arena, but when he did and I saw his opponent he came in six kilos heavier and looked a lot heavier I did feel a bit sick. But Michael looked very confident and cocky then I felt okay."

Grant's next fight is expected to take place in September.