Abraham retains title vs Smith, no controversy this time

[caption id="attachment_5166" align="alignnone" width="650"] Martin Rose/Getty Images[/caption]

Arthur Abraham's proper pacing, controlled aggression and power advantage carried the night for the 35 year old veteran. Abraham won via unanimous decision in his rematch with Paul Smith at the O2 World Arena, Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany on Saturday night. The scores were 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112. The score's were almost identical with the first bout, but this time there's no controversy. Abraham (42-4, 28 KO's) clearly won the bout that transpired in the judges' scorecards.

In the first round, Smith (35-5, 20 KO's) was able to stick-and-move around Abraham. He fired combination and then moves away. He was effective in the middle of the ring. But in rounds four and five, Abraham was able to let his hands go, as he pinned Smith towards the ropes. Abraham would throw 10 unanswered shots while Smith's back on the ropes. Although, some of those punches were block by Smith's high guard, but some went through with telling effects.

In round six, it seemed Smith hurt Abraham from a punch to the body. He slipped good hooks to the body that momentarily stops Abraham from coming forward.

In the eighth round, Abraham again pinned Smith to the ropes and fired much heavier punches. Smith would return fire, but Abraham absorbed them pretty well. In the ninth and tenth it's a one way traffic, in favor of Abraham, walking down the challenger. Abraham took over the fight and dictates when to engage and disengage Smith.

In the championship round, it's clear that Smith needed a knockout to win. But Smith was somewhat faded because of fatigue and generated less and less output in the last two rounds. In the end it was a clear-cut victory for Abraham.

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