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Deutche Welle, Germany
Sept 28 2014
Arthur Abraham retains WBO title on points against Smith
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.
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.
Abraham said he wants his next title defense to be against a German boxer
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.
Fight fan Wayne Rooney has been on the ropes himself of late
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.
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)
http://www.dw.de/arthur-abraham-retains-wbo-title-on-points-against-smith/a-17959834
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Sept 28 2014
Arthur Abraham retains WBO title on points against Smith
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.
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.
Abraham said he wants his next title defense to be against a German boxer
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.
Fight fan Wayne Rooney has been on the ropes himself of late
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.
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)
http://www.dw.de/arthur-abraham-retains-wbo-title-on-points-against-smith/a-17959834
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress