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Abraham retains WBO super middleweight belt

September 28, 2014

Arthur Abraham defended his WBO super middleweight title in Kiel on Saturday night, defeating Paul Smith of England relatively comfortably on points. The Berlin resident hopes to next touch gloves with a German rival.

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Arthur Abraham bleibt Boxweltmeister im Supermittelgewicht
Image: dpa

WBO (World Boxing Organization) super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham bested Paul Smith on Saturday night, according to a unanimous decision by the judges in the northern German town of Kiel. The judges all scored the 12-round fight in Abraham's favor, two of them by 117 points to 111, and another 119-109.

"That was no easy opponent," Abraham said after the fight in front of some 6,000 spectators. "I had to hit hard."

The 34-year-old's punches appeared more effective and powerful throughout the night, not least in a commanding final round, part of which Smith spent up against the ropes.

Arthur Abraham bleibt Boxweltmeister im Supermittelgewicht
Abraham said he wants his next title defense to be against a German boxerImage: dpaoxen WBO-WM im Supermittelgewicht am 28.09.2014 in der Sparkassen-Arena in Kiel (Schleswig-Holstein): Der deutsche Boxer Arthur Abraham (r) jubelt nach seinem Sieg gegen seinen Herausforderer Smith

The Armenian-born German took his career record to 41 wins (28 by knockout) and four defeats, defending his title successfully for the second time. Abraham had taken an enforced break after his first title defense in April, when he beat Montenegro's Nikola Sjkeloca in Berlin despite breaking his right hand.

The right-hander said after Saturday's fight that he had "worked a lot with my jab today," this time by choice rather than necessity.

Boxing fan Wayne Rooney unable to watch

Defeated challenger Smith was taking part in his first ever title fight; the result moves his career record to 35-4 with 20 knockouts.

Despite healthy traveling support making up around one-quarter of the crowd, Smith had to do without a famous footballing fan who had promised to attend the bout. Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney, from Liverpool like Smith, was not given permission to travel to the fight by his new manager Louis van Gaal.

Real Madrid vs. Manchester United 2.8.2014
Fight fan Wayne Rooney has been on the ropes himself of lateImage: Reuters

Hours earlier, Rooney - recently made Manchester United captain by van Gaal - was sent off against West Ham for a wild kick at Stewart Downing. United narrowly won the game 2-1, but Rooney's dismissal prompted further questions for the struggling club after a disappointing start to the season with the former Bayern Munich coach van Gaal. Given the Englishman's recent form on the pitch, however, his upcoming disciplinary suspension could prove a blessing in disguise for United.

Abraham said that he hoped his next fight would be against a German opponent, saying he wanted to challenge either Robert Stieglitz or Felix Sturm, who will rumble in a Stuttgart ring next month: "I am ready," Abraham said.

msh/jm (AFP, AP, dpa, SID)