Felix Sturm retained his WBA middleweight title by beating Khoren Gevor in a unanimous decision at Ring Arena in Nuerburg on Saturday.
The fighters spent much of the bout locked with their gloves and heads nearly touching. At the end of the third round, Sturm fell to the mat when Gevor (30-4, 16 KOs) took a swing. Referee Jean-Louis Legland ruled it a slip.
All three judges called the fight for Sturm, 115-113, 115-113, 117-111. Many in the arena were disappointed, including Gevor.
"I have as much power as he does," the Armenian challenger said. "No one won that fight."
Sturm (33-2-1, 14 KOs) was less impressed with Gevor's moves.
"He wants to be world champion, like everyone, but you have to do more than push with your head," Sturm said.
It was Sturm's seventh successful defense of the title since he regained it from Javier Castillejo in April 2007.
In a fight for the interim WBC middleweight crown, Germany's Sebastian Zbik won a unanimous decision over Italy's Domenico Spada. All three judges scored the fight 115-114.
