Norwich's Zaiphan Morris came through the toughest test of his career on Friday night to claim his first major honour.

The 32-year-old super-featherweight beat the awkward Latvian Aleksandrs Birkenbergs on points over eight rounds to win the International Classic Challenge belt.

Backed by a big and noisy home crowd at The Halls, Morris won 79:75 – and few would argue that referee Lee Cook's scorecard was not an accurate reflection of the fight.

Birkenbergs was an awkward customer, switch hitting and erratic, especially with his head. But after a couple of rounds of cat and mouse, the fight exploded into life in the third round, with Morris landing some eye-catching punches.

Morris caught his man three times in the space of half a minute in the fourth and it wasn't long before the Latvian was gulping in big breaths.

By this time the demand from trainer Graham Everett not to touch gloves at the end of a round had sunk in and it was purely business from Morris as he went about dismantling the 30-year-old.

The sixth was arguably one of the best rounds of Morris' career as he explored every opportunity to inflict damage.

By then Morris was clearly in control and although Birkenbergs came out swinging in the final round, Morris kept his head, kept out of trouble and duly picked up the belt.

'He was awkward and easily the toughest fighter I have faced,' said Morris. 'I felt every punch he landed, but I never stopped working and I think in the end the scoreline reflected the fight.

'I can't thank my corner enough – Graham Everett and Jon Thaxton and Darren Bunn have been fantastic to me, and the crowd were absolutely awesome. Without these people I would not be here today.'

The build-up to fight night was beset by problems not of promoter Mervyn Turner's making – and it started almost two hours late because the ambulance was stuck in traffic on its way from Hertfordshire.

However, a good humoured crowd proved to be patient too, and were duly rewarded.

Aylsham's Scott Moises was too good for Danny Carr, of Trowbridge, winning 40:36, whole Colchester's Alan Ratibb survived two eight counts – one of which looked suspiciously like a slip – in the second round to come back and finish Teodor Baydajiev with a sickening body punch in the third round.

Marcus Poxton, from Harwich, was a 40:36 winner against Norwich's plucky David Miko, while Connor Vian, a Colchester-based member of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, beat Norwich's Duane Green 40:37 in a cracking contest.

Unfortunately for Ipswich heavyweight Fabio Wardley, his opponent pulled out, leaving him a spectator for the night.