Bradford rookies Shaun Doherty and Tasif Khan have been told to stay positive after both kicked off professional careers with draws.

The young bantamweight duo, who fight out of the city's Fitness Lab gym, were disappointed not to make winning starts this week. But manager Chris Aston insists there is no need for any doom and gloom.

"It's never easy for any boxer in his first professional fight," he said. "It is a big step into the unknown, especially if you are up against someone who wants it as well.

"It does find you out because it's a new distance. It's still a sprint but not as much a sprint as in the amateurs and it will take time.

"I don't think fighters ever box to their full potential in the first one. I remember Frank Grant got knocked out in his and he went on to have a very good career."

Six years after that first-fight stoppage, Bradford's Grant won the British middleweight title with a victory over Herol Graham.

Aston certainly believes there is nothing to keep Doherty and Khan down, other than the referee's verdict.

"They both have ability and now know what they've got to do. It could turn out to be good for them," he said.

"They are unbeaten and a draw won't do any harm in terms of finding options and rematches - and I would back both to win if they fought the other kids again."

Doherty is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father John, who won the Lonsdale belt a decade ago. But he had to make do with a draw against Israeli Elion Keden in London, while Khan shared the spoils with Gary Ford in Oldham.

"I think you could call it a moral victory in both cases," said Aston. "Tasif was well in front and the other kid needed to pull something out of the bag in the last round, which he did with a knockdown. But it was the first time he'd been back in the ring for a couple of years so we're fairly pleased.

"Shaun did the better work the but his opponent had a big heart and kept coming."