AS Michael Jennings had an ice cube massaged into his swollen cheeks and puffed up eyes he sighed: "I don't want many more fights like that". Few would blame him.

The Chorley boxer retained his British welterweight title on a unanimous points decision after a bruising and enthralling contest against Bradley Pryce at Preston Guild Hall last night.

Jennings defied an early and late onslaught by his Welsh opponent, but in between he impressed the judges with his recovery, work-rate and vast repertoire of punches that ground Pryce down.

"I knew he was going to start fast but I didn't expect him to start that fast," Jennings said.

"I didn't expect him to come back like that in the last few rounds either.

"It was good to do a 12-rounder and that was a good pace. Even though in the back of my mind I knew I had the stamina to do it I've proved it to myself that I can if I do need to.

"But I don't want those sort of fights too often."

Chorley "Lurcher" Jennings loves to box in a classic, long-range fashion. But he admitted he was forced into a quick change of his game plan to stand a chance of keeping hold of the famous Lonsdale belt and extend his unbeaten run to 28 fights.

Roared into the ring by his army of supporters, Jennings looked cool and composed. Pryce, on the other hand, seemed aggitated and uneasy.

But appearances can be deceptive and Pryce released some of his apparant nervous tension with a barrage of early punches.

The Welsh warrior came into this bout with a reputation of making people expect the unexpected, and his enormous reach caused Jennings problems soon into the first round, with some tough jabs knocking the champion briefly onto the canvas.

Once the 28-year-old regained his composure, firing a reassuring wink to his corner, he fended off his opponent's advances to see the round out.

Pryce's first round enthusiasm had waned, and Jennings held back before forcing him onto the ropes and catching him with two great left hands in the second.

Pryce smiled wryly before responding with a firm right. But this was better boxing from Jennings, who never wasted a punch.

Even as early as the third round, Pryce had grown sluggish, opting instead to duck and weave while dragging his feet round to keep pace with his dancing opponent.

A superb right hand caught Pryce flush and the Welshman sought the security of the ropes to get him through to the bell.

Jennings continued to wear the 24-year-old down for the next few rounds with some good, quick combinations, a succession of body shots and venomous upper cuts.

A Pryce revival in what was a more evenly contested fifth round was short-lived, and he was literally saved by the bell in the seventh.

Jennings maintained his momentum early in the next round, sapping the energy out of him with two left jabs then a big left hand.

But he momentarily forgot about Pryce's long reach and had his head rocked back at the end.

Some strong one-twos and a solid left hand over the top in the ninth kept Jennings on top. Three fierce left hand jabs pushed Pryce back on the ropes and Jennings showed no mercy as he caught him with several upper cuts.

But while Pryce could only respond with some wasteful body punches which failed to hurt Jennings, he showed no sign of dropping.

Both fighters preserved their energy in a quiet penultimate round, but few would have anticipated the crescendo that was to follow.

Jennings swung a couple of fierce right hooks, but Pryce burrowed his way off the ropes and spun round to catch Jennings cold.

Dazed and unsteady, Jennings was hunted down. All he had to do was stay on his feet after dominating almost all of the previous rounds. That was easier said than done as Pryce got a second wind, but Jennings managed to keep him at arm's length for the last 90 seconds.

"Have I won?" he mouthed to his corner. Trainer Brian Hughes assured him it was in the bag.