Joe Pigford admitted he has been trying to learn NOT to knock people out.

The Southampton welterweight went into his 40-37 points win against William Warburton in Winchester on the back of two quick stoppage victories in his fledgling pro career.

The reputation that has already brought him has made it hard to get the kind of journeymen opponents most face in their early days in the paid ranks.

That’s why he ended up taking on Warburton, who has a losing record but has been in with some good fighters, boxed for titles and only been stopped twice in 57 fights.

Pigford confessed his plan was to do the opposite of what most boxers dream about, and not to go looking for the power punch to stop the fight.

“I have been trying to learn not to just knock people out,” he said.

“In this fight that would have been the wrong tactic and so I avoided it.

“You’ve got to realise you can’t just land big punches all the time – often the knockouts actually come when you’re not looking for them.

“He’s been stopped a couple of times in about 50 fights, and one was in the ninth round when he was boxing for a title so I knew it would be tough, especially as it’s only my third fight.

“The fact he pushed me is good for me, also for fitness as well, and to get the rounds under my belt.”

Pigford cruised through the first two rounds but was given a stern examination in the third when his occasionally loose guard was picked apart.

However, he got through it and was back in charge in the final round.

“It was a good fight. I couldn’t have wanted a better learning fight for my third fight. He really pushed me,” reflected Pigford.

“I felt really in control and then in the third round he came back at me.”

With the trouble he has getting opponents, the next move will be an interesting one.

“I will see what Wayne (Batten) says,” said Pigford. “I will look at stepping up to a six round fight, or if it’s four rounds again I want it to be another tough opponent like this one and keep pressing forward.

“It’s not easy for me to get fights with journeymen you can beat easily, which most people have when they are starting out, because they don’t want to get knocked out.”

As per usual for Pigford’s fights, the atmosphere was rocking as he brought over 100 fans with him to Winchester Guildhall.

It has become something of a ritual for his friends to meet early in the day to start the party and to carry it on at the venue.

This time the pig masks were replaced with paper snouts and one friend even treated the crowd to his own rendition of a Joe Pigford song complete with a dance.

“The support was really good. It was another early morning – and then late night for my friends, some of whom are a bit worse for wear,” laughed Pigford. “Everybody was aware my friend Jordan was here with the noise he was making.

“I have a feeling he may have been slightly drunk.”

Much more on the big Winchester fight night in today's Daily Echo