Charlie Flynn's much heralded professional debut more than lived up to the hype as the Commonwealth Games lightweight gold medallist posted a comprehensive 40-36 points success over the gnarled English veteran Ibrar Riyaz in last night's Morrison Promotions' Thistle Hotel Show.

While Flynn would only award himself a seven out of 10 for his professional debut, no one who was there to witness his transition to the paid punching ranks would have left with anything but the belief that the ebullient Lanarkshire boxer has all the skills needed to fill the developing void at the top of the professional game north of the border.

"It was maybe just a seven-out-of 10 for this one but it is a great feeling to have made my professional debut and got the win," admitted Flynn.

He continued: "Riyaz was tough and had some cute tricks, like flicking his elbows, but after I stopped trying to take him out, I settled into my boxing and enjoyed it.

"At the end of the day I have learned more from these four rounds than I would have from an early stoppage and it has been a good start to my professional career. But there is plenty better to come.

"But I'd just like to thank everyone who came out to support me, there were people from all sections of the community and that meant the world to me.

"Now I can look forward to 2015 and it can't come soon enough."

Entering the ring to the strains of the Rocky Balboa theme tune, the professional homecoming of Scotland's Commonwealth Games hero was made to a suitable fanfare.

It wasn't long before the baloney accompanying Flynn's professional debut was proved far from baloney.

An impressive range of punching in, which a two-fisted body attack was the main feature, left the 74 fight veteran Riyaz wincing regularly in the opening round, while the 21 year-old's sheer strength appeared to shock the Reading pugilist.

The compact nature of Flynn's work continued to impress in the second session as the Newarthill pugilist produced stinging work off a classic left jab, that left Riyaz increasingly desperate. With a six punch combination thrown by Flynn's vicious pistons backing Riyaz onto the ropes and leaving the journeyman shaken and badly stirred.

The 'Mailman' also showed impressive maturity in his punch selection and his ability not to waste leather when a punch was not on, against an opponent whose only interest, from halfway through the opening round, was to survive.

As the contest, if you could call it that, entered its fourth and final round the only question left unanswered was could Riyaz make the final bell?

That the 29 year-old did, with a face full of painful welts to bear testament to his bravery, was an impressive show of obduracy.

But in posting a 40-36 shut-out points' success Flynn's maturity and clarity of thought did more than enough to suggest that his positioning as Scottish boxing's next big thing is bang on the money.

In the chief supporting contest Flynn's Commonwealth games team-mate Joe Ham transitioned from a decorated amateur career to the paid punching ranks with a hugely impressive stoppage victory over Georgian David Kvaratskhelia after one minute four seconds of the first round.

From the first bell Ham demonstrated a ravenous delight in unloading a two fisted body attack and the finale came with a left hook that left his shell-shocked opponent writhing on the canvas before the Eastern European was counted out.

Afterwards Ham claimed the all-action body barrage will become his trademark: "The plan was to open up on the body from the first bell and you saw how it hurt him. I believe I can take out anyone with that kind of work and whoever I get in my second fight can expect more of the same," said Ham.

The debutante continued: "I was determined to put on a show and I knew that my style would be perfect for the pros, tonight proved that and now I just can't wait for 2015 to roll around."

There was an impressive performance from the head of the supporting cast by Scottish featherweight champion Jon Slowey, who overcame a difficult start against Lithuanian slugger Simas Volosinas, in which a right hook almost sent him through the ropes, to regain his composure, before the Gorbals' boxer imposed an accurate southpaw counter punching performance to claim a 39-38 points' award.

In the early encounters Glasgow's Jamie Maguire posted a 40 -36 points' victory over former Ricky Burns victim Youssef Al Hamidi, borne of a high work rate and refusal to concede the centre of the ring, at lightweight.

However Wishaw's Scott Allan can count himself very fortunate to have received a 39-38 points' decision over Bristol's Omran Akbari, at 135lbs (lightweight), after he was consistently beaten to the punch, repeatedly forced to give ground and scarcely landed with a blow of any true quality.

At welterweight Glaswegian debutante Stewart Burt served notice that he may have a bright future in the square ring in demonstrating a stiff left jab, a willingness to unload meaningful leather in concerted salvoes and some adroit defensive work en route to a 40-37 verdict over Newark's imaginatively named, but nevertheless gritty Fonz Alexander, in a gripping contest that gave the sell-out Thistle Hotel audience plenty to work with.

Lightweight Ryan Smith claimed his fourth straight victory in the professional ranks with a comprehensive 40-36 points' success over Killamarsh's Lee Connelly in which he repeatedly beat a game opponent to the punch and demonstrated a crispness of delivery that was the pick of the evening's early encounters.

A point that was reflected in the ruddiness of Connelly's features which almost matched his natty scarlet shorts.