The 27 year-old kept up his unbeaten run dating back to an eight-round loss to Lee Haskins in 2008 with a tight points win to the delight of the adoring crowd and now becomes Great Britain’s fourth world title holder alongside Carl Froch, Nathan Cleverly and Ricky Burns.
McDonnell showed poise in times of trouble throughout the contest as previously unbeaten Ceja, 22, gave the Yorkshireman his toughest test to date and would certainly have claims for a rematch.
On the undercard, former McDonnell foe Stuart Hall set up a possible rematch with the new world champion after scoring a unanimous points win over Texan southpaw Sergio Perales.
Hall, 33, lost to McDonnell in a tight twelve round battle in 2011 and after claiming a fringe version of the IBF belt with a 117-111 (twice), 115-113 decision, may now be in the mix for a revenge mission later this year.
