The 25-year-old welterweight boxed his way to a professional points victory over Welshpool's Russell Pearce at Wigan's Robin Park Arena.

And the emotion on his face at the final bell said more than a thousand words could, after securing a 59-55 victory.

And speaking in the immediate aftermath, he said proudly: "It couldn't have gone much better to be honest. As soon as I walked out, I thought 'there's no way I'm going to lose this', not with the support I had.

"The support was amazing, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"They changed my opponent at the last minute, to someone who was 3lb heavier than me, but that didn't matter to me.

"The fact he was that bit heavier than me could have played on my mind, but with the support there I just blanked it out and thought 'stick to your boxing Chris'.

"He was whispering a few things to me after the first couple of rounds, and he was trying to draw me into a scrap, but I'm just so pleased to get my duck out of the way.

"I've waited three-and-a-half years for this, and I'm absolutely made up.

"I'm not going to get carried away with it, far from it, I'll wait for the next opponent and do the same again.

"As long as I take every fight as it comes, and treat each one on its own merits, that's what matters."

After a frustrating three-and-a-half year wait, the former Sandygate fighter gave a commanding display to win five of the six two-minute rounds.

In front of a phenomenal vocal support, the 10st 6lb fighter came back strongly in the first round with some good right hands following a visibly tentative start.

Two good left hands helped him take the second round, and following an early setback in the third, a lethal combination of jabs put O'Brien back in the ascendancy.

Forever commanding the centre of the ring, some good combinations in the next two rounds edged him further ahead, before closing out the fight with a professional performance in the last.

He added: "I wanted to command the centre of the ring, that was the gameplan which I had gone through with (Michael) Gomez.

"He kept coming down low, sometimes my jab would miss and I would take a step back, but I made sure I went back into my rhythm straightaway.

"If I had let him take over the centre of the ring it could have gone against me.

"It was important to focus, yes the crowd was giving me everything, and they were fantastic, but I just had to block it out and concentrate.

"I firmly believe I did that, that's why all the emotion came through at once when the final bell went!"

O'Brien, who trains at Bobby Rimmer's Ultimate Fitness gym in Stalybridge, learned his trade at Sandygate ABC and the Roche Boxing Club, as well as the Dublin Docklands club.

And he took the time out to pass on his thanks to his mentors: "John Duckworth has been fantastic for me, as have both Kevin (Maree) and Gomez, I can't thank them highly enough.

"And I can't thank the fans enough – support like that is what pulls you through, it helped my nerves settle and I cannot express how much I appreciate it."