ALEX MORRISON has promised Jon Slowey a major title fight in the New Year.

Slowey overcame stubborn resistance from Bellshill's Kris Hughes to claim a 96-95 points victory and the Scottish featherweight title at the Gorbals Leisure Centre on Saturday.

The hard-fought victory, in which the Glaswegian sustained a badly cut eye in the eighth round, took Slowey's unbeaten run to 16 fights and added the national nine-stone title to the WBC International Silver title he won in the summer.

Morrison said: "This was a big win for young Slowey and I will be doing everything I can to get him a British or Commonwealth title fight in the New Year. He has certainly earned it.

"It was a cracking fight and probably the best I have seen between two southpaws.

"For me Kris Hughes won the first three rounds and he made Slowey dig deep.

"But the great thing is that he did dig deep and after sustaining the cut showed real character not to let that undo all the good work he had done to get on top.

"But 2014 could be a very big year for Jon Slowey."

Morrison also had words of encouragement for Hughes. "At 26 it is not too late for Kris to come again," he said.

"I thought he hurt Jon on more than one occasion and he clearly still has plenty of fire left in his belly.

"He will come again in the New Year."

Morrison was also delighted with wins for former Commonwealth super-featherweight champion Drew Docherty and promising unbeaten prospect Hugh Gray.

He said: "Craig boxed very well to beat the Pole Tomasz Mazurkiewicz, against whom he had to overcome a size disadvantage and a cut.

"Craig has so much class and as long as the hunger is still there he can look forward with some optimism.

"As for Hugh Gray, I thought he was very unlucky not to force a stoppage, but his increasing power is clearly evident."