Hopey Price opened his account for 2023 with a comfortable 10-round win over Thomas Masson at the Newcastle Arena.

Price, just 23, is considered one of Britain’s most talented prospects but a back injury last year curtailed his progress.

With only three outings during 2022 the southpaw has not been busy enough but, back to full fitness, he is hoping to make up for lost time over the next 12 months.

This was a satisfactory start to the plan as he banked 10 valuable rounds against 20-5-1 Frenchman Masson who was soundly beaten in solid yet unspectacular fashion.

Judge Marcus McDonnell scored it a 100-90 shutout after 10 while Jean-Robert Laine had it 99-91 and Italian Giuseppe Quartarone was slightly kinder to Masson with a 98-92 scorecard. The truth is he very rarely landed a glove on the in-control Price.

Before that, a number of Matchroom’s other undefeated prospects all maintained those unblemished records with points victories on this Next Gen show broadcast on DAZN.

Middleweight Mark Dickinson and lightweight Calum French won eight-rounders while lightweight Adam Reichard and debutant Muhammad Ali (not that one) were both victorious over four.

As was Maisey Rose Courtney who moved to 2-0 by defeating Buchra El Quaissi over four twos at flyweight..