STEVE BENDALL breathed a massive sigh of relief after surviving an early onslaught to outpoint Majid Ben Driss in Coventry on Saturday night (Oct 22).

Bendall was badly hurt in the second round before making his class tell and pulling away in the second half of the fight to take a 59-56 verdict from referee Sean Messer.

Ben Driss showed plenty of ambition and almost wrecked Bendall's plans to challenge English middleweight champion Donovan Smillie in December.

Bendall would throw shots and then drop his hands carelessly when still in range.

He was clipped a few times in an even opening round and worse was to follow for the Poole boxer in the second when Ben Driss leapt in to crash a couple of full-blooded rights off his jaw.

Bendall's knees dipped and he grabbed the top rope to steady himself.

He held on desperately as the Frenchman went for the finish and was bundled over.

Bendall backpedalled and took another right in the final minute that shook him. He still looked dazed when he went back to his corner at the bell.

His head seemed to have cleared by the start of the third and he started to get his boxing together after coming under fire early in the round to have his corner shouting anxiously: "Hands up, chin down."

There were signs that Bendall had his man's measure midway through the round - a couple of left hands stopped Ben Driss in his tracks as he crudely waded forward.

Bendall took the centre of the ring in the fourth and repeatedly caught Ben Driss on the way in.

Ben Driss wasn't throwing as much by the fifth - his wild lunges would come either early or late in the round - and that allowed Bendall to dissect his defences with classy bursts of punches.

But the action was never one-sided.

Bendall was still being careless and would take a clubbing blow whenever he looked set to take over.

He was in front going into the last and Ben Driss came out firing in a bid to wipe out the points deficit.

Bendall was soon being forced to cover up on the ropes and lashed out with a right hand that made Ben Driss back off and regroup.

He was waiting for the chance to charge in again and their heads came together when he did to leave Bendall with blood seeping from a wound that was inspected by the referee before he was allowed to continue and wrap up victory.