WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm made a successful tenth title defense tonight in front of over 18,000 fans at the sold-out Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, against Irishman Matthew Macklin in a true thriller.

The challenger got off to a great start, pushing Sturm back with an enormous offensive workrate in the first three rounds. The champion, however, picked up the pace in the fourth and slowly gained control of the action with his quick and accurate combinations. Macklin never backed up, though, thus making it a toe-to-toe battle with him being the agressor while Sturm landed the cleaner punches. Both fighters had their fair share moments, hence making it a close fight going into the championship rounds.

The last two rounds added to the drama traded heavy shots and bringing the crowd to their feet. The fight ended with Sturm landing a brutal assault after taking good shots himself. The final bell concluded the great action, leaving the decision in the judges’ hands. They scored the bout 115:113 Macklin, 116:112 and 116:112 for Sturm, who emerged the split decision winner in one of the year’s best fights in Germany.