Mickey Ellison said winning the Central Area Light Heavyweight belt was his ‘world title’ and dedicated the victory to his family.

The 32-year-old from Darwen stopped Jake Barton in the sixth round to finally get his hands on a title at the third time of asking.

Wife Jade and his two boys, Rocco, five and four-year-old Rudy were ringside at Event Olympia in Liverpool and a delighted and emotional Ellison said ‘that was for you!’

“That is like a world title for me,” said Ellison. “I have accomplished more than I ever set out to do. It has always been one fight at a time for me but I always wanted a title – it’s third time lucky.

“I’m buzzing. That is for my kids and my wife, it shows it has not been for nothing. The sacrifices they have made, me being boring and never at home, always at the gym after work - so that is for them.”

Ellison, who took his record to 13 wins and four defeats, also praised his coaching team at Elite Boxing in Bolton for helping him get his career back on track.

Ellison, who works full time as a joiner, returned to the Bolton club, having previously trained there, to work with head coach Alex Matvienko along with Phil Robinson and Tom McNeil.

“I wanted to thank those guys for helping me achieve this goal,” added Ellison who admitted he had become a bit disillusioned with the sport having lost his two previous bouts - both title fights.

“I want to thank Alex especially because I rung him up and I did feel like I wanted to walk away from boxing and I asked him if he’d give me another chance and he welcomed me back.

“I appreciate everything he has done for me. We are back where we left off.”

He added: “I’m back, I love it again, I love the game. I’m back in love with the sport again, I’m addicted and I think that is dangerous in itself. I have got some good mates and some good coaches around me that I trust. I am just enjoying it and soaking it up.

“I’m experience now and one of the big things I have been working on with Alex is being more relaxed in the ring and I think that showed.”

Although Ellison freely admits he believes he has overachieved, he is not ready to stop and is eyeing another shot at the English title - and wants to fight the winner of this weekend’s English Light Heavyweight title clash between Chad Sugden and Joel McIntyre.

“I think I deserve it,” he said. “I think that is the level I should be looking at now, I am above Central Area standard now so that is the fight I ideally want.”

Ellison has fought the majority of his fights at Super Middleweight but he says he is happier fighting at Light Heavyweight and believes that is where his future lies.

“I can still make Super Middleweight, no problem,” he said. “But I think I have bit more power at the heavier weight and they are a bit slower. I can punch through anyone at the weight.”

Of the fight itself against the former kick boxing and Muay Thai champion, Ellison believes he was always in control - although he admitted after watching it back, it was not as easy as he thought.

He said: “It’s funny, but immediately afterwards I thought it was more straightforward than it was but I sat down and watched it back and it was more of a battle than I first thought.

“He was a tough lad but I felt I was getting to him.

“In the sixth (round) I could see the shots clearly and I knew I was going to start landing them.

“To be honest, I felt a little bit bad, I could see him marking up and I didn’t want to keep hitting him with the jab because I was making a mess of him.

“It was tough but I enjoyed it from the beginning even when he was letting his shots go because I just thought it was going to be just a matter of time because everything the coaches have given me in the gym, I felt comfortable in letting him throw them because I knew it was a matter of catching them and throwing them back and catching him.

“But I hit him with some belting shots and he was still there.”

Having dominated the opening three rounds, it looked as if Barton was getting back in to the contest, but Ellison revealed that his coach Matvienko told him to let him come on to him.

“Alex said ‘let’s have a look at him this round and see what he can do’. So it did look like he was perhaps getting on top and dominating but it was something we talked about and it goes back to being more relaxed in the ring and trusting yourself.”

Ellison said he if didn’t fight again he would have no regrets but he has no plans to hang up the gloves any time soon - and until that day, he won’t take a step backwards.

“I have always said it, I am happy to go in with anyone and if I get knocked out by a better boxer then so be it because that way I would know my level,” he added.

“I want that shot at an English belt and I am happy to wait for it. But if it doesn’t happen and I don’t get to fight again, I will have no regrets.”