Terry Flanagan had to be content with a unanimous points decision after a tactical fight with Derry Mathews at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Saturday.
Flanagan (30-0, 12 KOs) had won his two previous fights in the second round but he opted to box sensibly in a second WBO world lightweight title defence, boxing at range for most of the fight.
It was enough to earn Flanagan scores of 117-110, 115-112 and 117-110 after a dominant display, but it was not as impressive as his previous defence and afterwards Flanagan seemed disappointed.
"I always expected Derry to be there in the later rounds," said Flanagan. "I didn't box at my best, I wasn't getting on my boxing for long enough.
"I didn't have the best of camps, having to pull out with tendonitis. I made it easier when I was boxing and I should've stuck to it more."
For Mathews (38-10-2, 20 KOs), it was his 50th professional fight and his first world title shot after a rollercoaster career in front of his home city fans. But there was no fairytale ending for Mathews, who failed to cause any moments of concern for Flanagan.
However, at least Mathews did better than Flanagan's previous two opponents by going beyond two rounds. Flanagan, 26, won the WBO belt in July last year when American Jose Zepeda dislocated a shoulder in the second round and the Briton then destroyed American Diego Magdaleno in two rounds in October.
But Mathews, 32, was careful in the opening two rounds about leaving himself open to fast flurries of punches from Flanagan. It was closer than was expected in the early stages as Flanagan was unable to dominate or trouble Mathews with his pressure boxing and speed of punches.
And it was Mathews who was the one doing the pressuring late in the fifth round as he went on the front.
Flanagan -- known as 'Turbo' -- gained more control in the seventh as he continued to rely on his boxing skills, firing out quick combinations and jabs before skipping out of range.
But Flanagan suffered a setback in the eighth when he was docked a point for a low blow. It offered Mathews some encouragement, but the challenger was unable to capitalise on it in the ninth as Flanagan kept at a safe distance behind his jab.
It was more sensible than exciting from Flanagan and Mathews was left regretting that he did not take more risks.
There are harder tests ahead for Flanagan and the fight he wants more than any other is a world title unification clash with fellow Manchester boxer Anthony Crolla, who holds the WBA version of the world title.
Flanagan's promoter Frank Warren has offered Crolla £500,000 to face his fighter later this year. Crolla, who went to the same school as Flanagan, must first get past a first defence of his WBA belt on May 7 in Manchester against Venezuela's Ismael Barroso, who ended the career of Londoner Kevin Mitchell in December.
"The fight we want is Anthony Crolla and I've made a big offer," said Warren. "There are no promotional issues, he doesn't have a promotional agreement as far as I'm aware, and there's no problem from our end.
"Other than that, I like the [former WBC champion] Jorge Linares fight. You get the best out of Terry when he's under pressure and I don't see anyone beating him when he's at his best."