Hackney lightweight Ohara Davies got his professional career off to a winning start with a comfortable points victory against Ivans Levickis at York Hall.

The former national novices champion, who was unbeaten in 19 contests as an amateur, dominated his four-round pro debut, taking the fight to his Latvian opponent from the start with a sharp left jab.

Levickis spent all four rounds on the back foot, maintaining a high guard and keeping his elbows tucked in, and the 22-year-old from Homerton often found it difficult to get his punches through.

Davies, who trains with Tunde Ajayi at the Peacock gym, Canning Town, almost stopped his opponent in the second round as a string of excellent combination punches forced the Latvian up against the ropes.

Although Levickis survived and saw out the remainder of the fight, it was no surprise when referee Robert Williams scored it in favour of Davies, 40-36.

“I was pleased with my performance,” Davies told the Gazette. “It’s not all about knocking people out. You learn different things in the gym and you have to put those in place in the ring.”

Homerton’s Lucien Reid locks horns with a fellow national champion tomorrow (Friday) when he takes on Reece Bellotti (South Oxhey ABC) in the England Boxing Elite Championships quarter-final.

Reid, who is the reigning champion at Under-54kg, qualified for the last eight in this year’s Under-56kg section after overcoming Archie Sharp (Lynn ABC) in the London final.

He now faces Bellotti, who won the Under-57kg title last year and has now moved down, at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. The semi-finals and final are scheduled to take place over the next two days at the same venue.

The championships will also showcase a women-only tournament for the first time, with two amateur champions – Shoreditch’s Hazel Gale and Oriance Lungu, from Homerton – taking part.