Nico Ali Walsh overcame the most threatening fight of his fledgling career as he defeated Reyes Sanchez by a majority decision in New York.

The 21-year-old was following in the footsteps of his grandfather Muhammad Ali by fighting at Madison Square Garden and he extended his unbeaten record to three victories in an entertaining four-round bout.

Ali Walsh was taken the distance for the first time inhis career, earning the win with scores of 40-36 and 39-37, while the third judge scored it a 38-38 draw with Sanchez, who had won all six of his previous bouts.

Starting with aggressive intent, Walsh quickly found his range, as he sent out stiff jabs and straight right hands in the opening round.

Walsh wobbled Sanchez with a looping right hand in the second and appeared to be on the brink of a stoppage win when he unloaded a flurry of punches.

But Sanchez fired back with a short right hand as he troubled Walsh with a spirited response in the third.

In the fourth and final round, Walsh displayed his grit, trading shots with Sanchez at close quarters to earn the verdict from two of the judges.

“This place holds a sentimental value,” Ali Walsh, the son of Ali’s daughter Rasheda, said prior to the bout. “If I wasn’t related to my grandfather then it would be super special just for the history. But because he fought here and I haven’t really gone anywhere where he fought like that, it’s just special and I think my family’s going to think the same thing.”