May 28, 2008

Anthony Mundine has retained his World Boxing Association super middleweight title by beating Sam Soliman in a unanimous points decision at Vodafone Arena.

Mundine won 116-112, 116-112, 117-112 in a pulsating encounter in Melbourne.

Soliman began the better and won the second and third rounds, but Mundine gradually wore the Victorian down and started landing the heavier blows the longer the fight lasted.

By the sixth round Soliman was clearly tiring and Mundine, through some punishing jabs, was on top.

But Soliman roared back into the contest late in the ninth round with a burst starting with a left hook that got the crowd calling in his favour.

He continued that comeback to the final round, and both fighters were confident they had won.