LAS VEGAS (Nevada), Nov 18: William Joppy posted a majority decision over Briton Howard Eastman Saturday to capture the World Boxing Association middleweight title made vacant by the WBA’s elevation of Bernard Hopkins to “super champion”.

Hopkins stopped Felix Trinidad to unify the 160-pound title on September 29, but when the WBA created of their “super-champion” category they declared their version of the title vacant.

That paved the way for European champion Eastman to make his US debut challenging for a world title, while Joppy got a chance to regain the belt in his first fight since he lost it to Trinidad in May.

Even a 12th-round knockdown by Eastman, who landed two punishing rights to Joppy’s jaw, wasn’t enough in the eyes of the judges. The American was up immediately and almost as soon as the standing count was over the bell rang to end the fight.

Chuck Giampa scored it 113-113, while Bill Graham made it 115-112 and Robert Watson saw it 114-112 both for Joppy.

“Joppy showed heart, but he never hurt me,” Eastman said as he waited for the decision to be announced. “Many of the punches he threw I caught. I thought I did enough to win.”

When it went against him, the crestfallen fighter left the ring without speaking further. The native of Guyana, who moved to England as a youngster, suffered his first defeat in 33 fights.

Joppy, who improved to 33-2-1, with 24 victories inside the distance, admitted Eastman was tougher than he anticipated.

“He shocked me a couple of times early,” said Joppy, who was rattled by several Eastman upper-cuts.”That last shot stunned me.”

“He hurt me in the last round, but I trained so hard I was able to come back.”

Joppy, 31, had held the WBA middleweight champion twice and had made six defences before Trinidad stopped him in the fifth round in New York on May 12.—AFP