Conor Benn battles to a gruelling points victory over nemesis Cedrick Peynaud

CONOR BENN warred his way to a second points win over nemesis Cedrick Peynaud in another thrilling clash.

The 32-year-old Frenchman was robbed of a win at York Hall in December when he had Benn beat but was sent back across the Channel with a harsh points defeat.

Benn, 21, knew he was lucky to leave East London with his unbeaten record intact and agreed to a rematch no-one dreamed would be as exciting.

But the O2 was treated to another barnstormer as Benn was awarded three knockdowns – although at least one was questionable – en route to a 98-91, 98-90, 97-90 win.

Peynaud must have remembered Benn’s leaky defence as he swarmed him instantly and chased him around the ring throwing heavy shots.

The French southpaw favoured a double-jab-left-hand attack and mounted it repeatedly at the retreating Essex fighter.

The Brit wisely tried to avoid a dogfight but the visitor would not take no for an answer.

At the start of the second, a flurry of swinging punches from Peynaud knocked himself off balance but referee Howard Foster made the huge mistake of issuing a count.

Then seconds later, when Benn appeared rocked, Foster got in the middle of the action and afforded him some recovery time as the crowd started to fear more home-fighter bias.

A left hand smashed through Benn’s guard up against the ropes but the kid has a brilliant chin. A punch magnet that can really take a dig.

Say what you like about his wild offence and barely-there defence, but Benn is a must-watch fighter who cannot resist a firefight.

Sadly the battles will get a lot shorter if he tries stepping up in class with this skill set.

Benn threw three air shots at the start of round three and the Frenchman’s corner was warned over their excessive shouting and smashing of the canvas.

The Ilford brawler was pinged again but somehow his inexperienced neck muscles remained rigid and he shrugged off the latest Gallic howitzer to find his face.

The fourth round started in familiar fashion, Benn struggled to land from distance but every time he cut down the distance he was thrashed by the former kickboxer.

Benn enjoyed a positive start to the the fifth when a straight lead right – every southpaw’s Kryptonite – found it’s bearded French target.

Both warriors scored thunderous points at the beginning of the sixth and this round was going to crucial, as the original bout finished at this point but four more were scheduled for the return.

Both had huge hearts and teak chins but top-level fitness would be required for a trip into the trenches.

This savagely beautiful rivalry swung in Benn’s favour in the seventh when he dropped Peynaud for an eight count with a right to he body that robbed him of air and vital points.

Peynaud looked momentarily beat for a few fleeting seconds of the eighth, he turned his back on Benn and trotted away toward the ropes but soon regained his senses and returned to the slugfest.

Benn’s face appeared to have taken the lion’s share of the punishment, with swelling around his eyes and mouth but he had demonstrated the most concussive power.

At the start of the ninth Benn slipped to the canvas but Foster waved it off, correctly, as a slip, probably caused by the rivers of sweat pouring from both men and onto the ring floor.

Peynaud touched the canvas in similarly brief fashion when a thudding right hand landed and he dipped to a knee and Foster started counting and barely reached four.

It was almost impossible to split the brave brutes going into the final round, the judges had a thankless task ahead if both survived the final session.

Both came through it, much like how they did in the first stunning encounter, bloodied, bruised and battered and hopefully hugely proud, unlike the judges who scored a brilliant fight way too wide.