Frustrating night for Tony Bellew in front of a sell out crowd at the Echo Arena

Tony Bellew was left frustrated in Liverpool after a lackadaisical performance saw him draw with fellow world title contender Isaac Chilemba in Liverpool.

The 30-year-old Scouser knew victory in this WBC light-heavyweight title final eliminator would put him in position to take on American champion Chad Dawson, who first defends his title against Adonis Stevenson in June.

Bellew was unable to force that title challenge, though, with a laboured night's work in front of 7,000 partisan fans at the Echo Arena in his home city.

Bellew - with a record of 19-1 with 12 early wins heading in - is ranked at number one with the WBC having steadily rebuilt since his only career defeat, which came against British rival Nathan Cleverly for the Welshman's WBO title in 2011.

Malawi native Chilemba, with a record of 20-1-1 (9KO wins) heading into tonight's encounter, represented another step up for the Englishman and boasted a number three ranking with the WBC.

Everton fanatic Bellew, watched by Toffees manager David Moyes in the crowd and entering the ring the club's Z Cars theme tune, started positively in an untidy first round, landing a solid early right hand to mark Chilemba's card before the two had to be pulled apart after the bell.

Bellew employed the jab in the second with some success but Chilemba was ready to counter when the chance arose.

Both men landed stiff right hands in an otherwise-tepid third round with Bellew struggling to pin down the visitor. Both men traded close-in in the fourth with Bellew just about coming off better thanks to a stern body shot and right hand.

Another burst of action saw the Scouser repeat the attack with a left hook to the stomach and glancing right but Chilemba was certainly making a fight of it.

Chilemba bullied the home favourite across the ring with one attack without doing any real damage but looked to have done enough to win the round.

Bellew was labouring but did land a long right hand in the sixth, though the African was landing more prolifically. Chilemba was progressing from prey to predator, taking ring centre in the middle rounds. A Bellew right made him think twice for a moment.

Chilemba was more accurate and, as his confidence grew, more aggressive. The consensus at ringside was that the fight was level after eight rounds but Chilemba had the momentum heading into the ninth. Chilemba landed two body shots before Bellew responded with a booming right and following it up with two more decent shots.

The Englishman had sparked into life at last, doubling up the jab before a left to the body and short right gave him a strong finish before the bell.

Chilemba began the 10th well, landing hard shots from range and edging the round. The underdog's combination punching was superior too as he arguably did enough to take the 11th, picking his punches and landing eye-catching shots with the right.

It was all to play for heading into the final round and Chilemba landed a right followed by a counter left hook to Bellew's temple.

Bellew still seemed flat, only sporadically forcing the action as he urged the crowd to gee him up. A right to the body did land for the Briton but he faced an anxious wait before scores were read out.

One judge scored it 116-112 for Chilemba, another 116-115 for Bellew and the third had it level at 114-114 to leave both men disappointed.

Bellew said afterwards: "I thought I won nine out of the 12 rounds and even Chilemba's trainer Buddy McGirt, one of the most respected men in boxing, told me he thought I won.

"I've got a lot of time for Chilemba he's a good fighter and a tough man but I won the fight."

Derry Mathews and Anthony Crolla were unable to claim the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title as they fought to a 12-round draw in Liverpool.

Mathews stopped his opponent over six thrilling rounds in April last year to become British champion, a bout widely acclaimed as the domestic bout of 2012.

Crolla was understandably wary of his opponent's power on this occasion but closed up the gap on the scorecards during the championship rounds.

Judge Marcus McDonnell favoured Mathews by 115-113, with Ian John-Lewis plumping for Crolla by the same margin and Steve Gray calling the fight 114-114.

Perhaps inevitably given the explosive nature of their first encounter, the opening rounds took on a tentative feel with Crolla boxing largely on the backfoot behind a tight guard.

Hometown favourite Mathews enjoyed control of the centre of the ring, while Crolla landed a couple of crisp uppercuts despite showing evidence of damage around the right eye at the end of round two.

Crolla's tactics appeared to be to take the fight long, bringing Mathews' questionable stamina into play but it was debatable whether he was doing enough to claim the requisite points for the strategy.

The Mancunian settled into a pleasing rhythm behind the left lead in six , only for Mathews to thud home a firm jab of his own and open up the eye damage.

As in the first fight, Crolla became disorganised when cut and Mathews started to find success with his favoured right uppercut.

Having enjoyed his most fruitful three minutes for some time, Crolla felt his legs buckle midway through round nine.

As Mathews went in pursuit of the finish he shipped some quality left hooks in return and the fervour of the pair's first meeting was tangible once more.

Crolla boxed beautifully throughout 10 and 11, seemingly unable to miss with the overhand right and resisting the urge to go head-hunting as he peppered Mathews' body with hook.

Mathews, bleeding from the nose and mouth, was reduced to a diet of attempted single big shots by the final stanza and had to absorb head shot from either wing by his more fluent opponent.

After the contest, both men stated their ambition to complete a trilogy.

London 2012 Team GB boxing captain Thomas Stalker enjoyed an impressive 'home debut' in Liverpool as he won his second professional bout.

The 28-year-old recently made the switch from the amateur code following his Olympic heartbreak and won his first fight in London.

Tonight he was making a high-profile return to his native Merseyside and came through comfortably as expected against Andrew Harris on points at the Echo Arena.

Stalker had made waves in the build-up to the fight by remarkably selling more than 1,000 tickets to his supporters for just a low-key four-round contest.

He rewarded their loyalty, too, with a slick performance against Harris, boxing well at range and frequently landing power shots with the southpaw right hook and left hand.

He cut Harris early on and pushed for the stoppage but had to settle for a 40-37 points win, with Harris claiming a share of one round.

"This city has the best support ever, Liverpool is a fighting city," Stalker said afterwards.

"I came down with a virus five days ago but no excuses, I was not at my best tonight."

Earlier tonight Stalker's former Team GB team-mates Kal Yafai, Scott Cardle and Callum Smith all enjoyed victories.

Birmingham's Yafai, dropping to super-flyweight for the first time, comfortably outpointed Michael Ramabeletsa despite injuring his left bicep in the first round.

Blackpool-based Cardle beat Yves Mesny over four rounds while Liverpudlian Smith stopped Iain Jackson inside a round.