Australia’s Danny Green retained his International Boxing Organisation cruiserweight world title with a unanimous points decision over American BJ Flores on Wednesday.
Green’s fourth successful IBO title defence lifted him to a career record of 31 wins (27 by knockout) and three defeats in 34 bouts.
Green, 37, had to resort to standing off and boxing Flores and had trouble landing telling blows on the taller American with a far superior reach.
“It was very hard to implement my game plan tonight against Flores,” Green said.
“I had to out-box the boxer and I didn’t get the chance to put him away.”
The judges scored the fight 117-112, 118-110 and 118-111.
Flores, 31, who went into the title fight unbeaten in his 24 previous fights, 15 of them by knockout, suffered his first professional defeat.
It was his first fight for 15 months and he felt he didn’t deserve to lose on unanimous points.
“It was a fantastic close fight and Danny boxed very smartly,” Flores said.
“I don’t agree with the unanimous points decision and I am very discouraged, but I fought a great champion over 12 rounds.”
Green took just 29 seconds to knock out compatriot Paul Briggs last July before stopping Puerto Rican Manny Siaca in April and stunning American great Roy Jones Jr last December in his first three title defences.