TROWBRIDGE fighter Nick Blackwell boxed to his first career draw in Monte Carlo tonight.

'Bang Bang' Blackwell, 23, drew 57-57 with Belarusian Sergey Khomitsky over six rounds at the Salle des Étoiles hall, part of the Sporting Monte Carlo complex, on the televised ‘Title Tornado’ tournament.

Middleweight Blackwell has been away from the ring competitively for almost eight months before stepping between the ropes in Monaco this evening.

But the Contender Gym man Blackwell, who has twice fought for the British title and is in line for a third shot at the Lonsdale belt after being confirmed as the mandatory challenger to the winner of Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank Jr’s meeting next month, held his own against a 40 year old opponent, who had already been in the ring with the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Martin Murray, also stopping London’s Frank Buglioni to win the WBO European super-middleweight title in April.

Blackwell was narrowly ahead on one of the three judges' scorecards at 58-56, but the other two declared it at 57-57, handing the Trowbridge man his first shared verdict in 19 professional fights.