It was a tense night at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, as British southpaw Peter McGrail edged out Romania’s Ionut Baluta via majority decision to capture the WBA International super bantamweight title.

McGrail (12-1, 6 KOs) had to dig deep against an awkward and relentless opponent who stepped in on just three weeks’ notice following the withdrawal of Shabaz Masoud. True to form, Baluta brought the heat from the opening bell, disrupting McGrail’s rhythm with nonstop pressure and a high punch output.

The judges’ scorecards told the story of a tight, hard-fought contest: 97-93 twice for McGrail, and a third card scored it even at 95-95. The decision sparked some controversy, particularly from Baluta’s corner, who felt their man had done enough to pull off the upset.

Still, it was a crucial win for McGrail, keeping him on track in his pursuit of a world title opportunity. “It wasn’t my best night, but I did what I had to do to get the win,” the Liverpudlian admitted after the bout.

As for Baluta (17-6-1), he once again cemented his reputation as one of Europe’s toughest gatekeepers. The loss doesn’t diminish his standing—if anything, it reinforces his status as a true litmus test for any rising contender.