By Per Ake Persson

O2 Arena, Berlin, Germany -King Arthur Abraham (42-4) remains king of the WBO super middleweights with a clear cut unanimous decision over British challenger Paul Smith (35-5). 

After 12 rounds of boxing the judges had it. 117-111 twice and 116-112. BoxingScene.com scored the bout 117-111 in favor of the defending champion. 

Abraham dominated most of the fight with his long barrages of power punches followed by spells where he covered up on the ropes. 

This is where Smith just didn't punch near enough, especially as Abraham tends to cover up the head and leave the body open. Smith just wouldn't or couldn't take advantage of it despite his fine left hook. Abraham had the harder punch and forced Smith backwards and was well in control in the later rounds. 

The challenger looked stunned on several occasions, especially in the last but was never close to going down. Smith had a good sixth and seventh rounds but it was more a case of Abraham pacing himself than Smith taking over the fight. 

There won't be a third match between these two and no-one can argue with the decision.

Italian Mirco Ricci (14-2) upset local man Enrico Koelling (16-1) and won the WBA I/C title with a unanimous decision after twelve uneventful rounds of boxing. It was scored 116-112 twice and 117-112 for the Italian, who pulled ahead in the last five rounds with an awkward stick and move style. 

Koelling had big problems with a cut by the right and cutman and renowned trainer Jimmy Montoya, who is in Germany as a sort of technical advisor Karsten Rover, who trains Koelling, was unable to stop the flow of blood. Koelling was much too passive while Ricci threw punches in bunches  seldom landing anything effectivly but at least doing something. Late in the last round Koelling slipped and was hurt by a left hook that seemed to take a lot out of him and he was on shaky legs for the rest of the round.

During the fight a big brawl broke out among the many British spectators on hand and police and security stepped in to separate the fighters and it seems as if they did a good job of it - but Paul Smith may have lost most of his supporters along the way. 

Heavyweight David Price (now 19-2) floored Brazilian Irineu Beato Costa Junior (16-3) three times in the sixth round of a scheduled ten rounder and the fight was stopped at as the bell sounded to end the round. Price boxed well using his longer reach and jab to keep his opponent away but it also looked as Brit was overly careful about pacing himself and not getting caught. Costa looked big and strong but seldom punched and when he did Price either made him miss or blocked the punches.  The fight was rather slow paced but came to life when Price floored Costa for the first time with a left hook to the chin. He followed up well with a right and Costa went over a second time and then finished the job with a left hook - right hand combination.

German super middleweight Stefan Haertel (4-0) won on points over Frenchman Baptiste Castegnaro (5-4). Castegnaro got  a bad cut over the left eye late in the first from a right hand from Haertel. Castegnaro kept coming but was guilty of a lot of holding and hitting. He was floored in the second and at the end it was scored 60-53 twice and 59-54 for Haertel, who is a very good boxer but lacks punch.

Brit Josh Warrington (20-0) stopped outclassed Nicaraguan Edwin Tellez at 1.51 of the fifth round of a scheduled eight-rounder. Warrington landed almost at will against his game opponent when the towel came in and the fight was stopped. Tellez wasn´t never floored or hurt but Warrington landed with ease and it was no point in letting it go any further.

Cruiserweight Noel Gevor opened Sauerland Event´s big show at the O2 Arena and moved to 16-0 with a unanimous eight round decision over tough Argentinian Alejandro Emilio Valori (16-7). It was hard fought all the way. Valori was in Gevor´s face all fight long forcing his opponent to fight off the ropes in most rounds. Gevor was a little too sharp though and the best punches came from him. Valori slipped on the canvas in the seventh and Gevor hurt him moments later with a left hook to the body and the Argentinian tired badly after that, but gave Noel a good learning fight. It was scored 78-74 on all cards at the end.