The Enniskillen boxer is already targeting a place on Anthony Cacace's Belfast title bill in December after producing a composed eight-round victory over experienced Peruvian Cesar Ignacio Paredes.

Owens outpointed Paredes 80-72 on a stormy night in Donegal that did nothing to dampen a vocal crowd, and now hopes promoter Jason Quigley can secure him a place on the December 10 show at Belfast's SSE Arena, where Cacace is expected to defend his WBA super featherweight title.

When asked what is happening next, he said: "There's a big show happening on the 10th of December.

"Anthony Cacace is defending his WBA super featherweight title in the SSE Arena. So if Jay (Jason Quigley) and Jamie can somehow work a bit of magic and get me on that, by all means I'll be ready."

Quigley, the former world middleweight title challenger whose Sheer Sports Promotions staged the event, believes boxing's biggest promoters should already be taking notice.

He said: "I think that the likes of Queensberry, Matchroom should be looking at this young kid and getting him on the card.

"Not just because of his talent and his abilities, because you seen the crowd in here tonight. Loud, a load of them.

"He's a special talent. He brings a big crowd with him."

That backing was impossible to miss inside the Aura Leisure Centre.

Owens reckoned he had sold around 150 tickets for the show to fans from Fermanagh, but joked the atmosphere made it feel like far more.

"I swear there was 500 in here, you know the chanting."

The 25-year-old admitted it had been a "tough auld night's work" against a seasoned operator who had been stopped only four times in 64 professional bouts before facing him.

He said: "He was a tricky opponent. Credit to him, he took some big shots and he came back with his own shots too. He wasn't in there just to take a beating.

"The main thing was we got the eight rounds banked. Onto the next."

Working with coach Sean Crowley, Owens went into the fight determined to bank valuable rounds rather than chase a stoppage, although the temptation to finish the fight early never disappeared.

He controlled the opening four rounds, conserved his energy through the middle stages and then made another push in the eighth, catching Paredes with a body shot that made him wince.

He continued: "But he's a seasoned vet. He knows his way around a ring, very experienced and crafty, and he knew how to hang in there for the last kind of minute and a half, so credit to him.

'He's moving in the right direction'

Quigley was particularly impressed by the composure Owens showed in his first fight beyond six rounds.

The Donegal native said: "I thought Rhys boxed fantastic. He's 5-0 now as a professional, and there's not many 5-0s just after coming out of the ring with an eight-rounder against a tough Peruvian fighter.

"In my eyes he cruised that fight tonight. He's just showing his levels every time he gets into the ring."

The promoter said Owens resisted the urge to empty the tank when opportunities presented themselves.

"You could see it was his first eight-rounder. He was cautious the first three, four rounds. He wasn't emptying the tank, which you don't really see from a prospect fighter that's 5-0.

"Usually they hurt their opponent or see him wobble and they blow a head gasket and try to take them out of there, whereas he didn't do that.

"He was so composed, so controlled the whole way through the fight. He's a credit to himself and his team, he's moving in the right direction, and it won't be long 'til Rhys is in big title fights."

For now, though, Owens was content to celebrate another step forward after completing his first eight-round assignment unbeaten.

"A little birdie tells me you get the best pint of Guinness down the town, so we'll be heading there next," he smiled.