Sturm wins contested decision

Sturm: Got the decision

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Felix Sturm retained the WBA middleweight title at Germany's Nurburgring with a unanimous points decision over European champion Khoren Gevor.

The result was not well received by many at ringside however, with the German champion continually clinching his opponent who consistently did the better work inside.

Sturm was sent to the canvas in the third round but the referee ruled it a slip, and the champion was given the verdict on all three judges cards, 115-113 (twice) and 117-112.

It was tough on the Hamburg-based Armenian, whose only other defeat in the last six years was to the more highly rated IBF champion Arthur Abraham, who is handing the back the title after 10 successful defences to step up a division.

Another Armenian-born fighter was in action on Saturday night, and it saw another defeat this time for Vic Darchinyan, who lost for only the second time in his career to IBF bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko in Florida.

It was the Australia-based Darchinyan's first fight at the 118lb limit, and the two-weight world champion went down to a narrow points verdict, 114-113 (twice) and 116-111.

Agbeko was shoved to the canvas in the seventh round but although the referee gave the champion a standing count, the Ghanian was unhurt.

He peppered Darchinyan repeatedly with the right hand, opening cuts above both his opponent's eyes, and finished the strongest after Darchinyan had the better of the middle rounds, although the Aussie never showed the power that saw him dominate the lower divisions.

Adamek in charge

On the same card, former IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham won a unanimous decision over Wayne Braithwaite of Guyana on his first fight since losing the title to Tomasz Adamek.

And in New Jersey, adopted home favourite Adamek was in action against Bobby Gunn where the Polish-born fighter retained his belt with a fourth round technical knockout.

Gunn was rocked by a big right hand in the fourth round but made the bell despite a flurry of blows towards the end of the session, but the doctor advised that the fight be stopped due to a cut over the challenger's right eye.

"I couldn't believe he was stopping it. Honest to God, I wasn't hurt. I could have gone on," said Gunn, who despite being the New Jersey native was not the most popular boxer in the ring.

Adamek improved his impressive record to 38-1, his only loss coming to the undefeated light heavyweight Chad Dawson.