Jack Rafferty wins IBO welterweight title after disputed last-round knockdown of Martirosyan
The judges scored it 114-113, 116-111 and 116-111, and the Manchester fighter stays unbeaten at 28-0-1.
Manchester's Jack Rafferty beat Hovhannes Martirosyan by unanimous decision to win the vacant IBO welterweight title in Manchester on Saturday night, after dropping him in the closing seconds of the 12th and final round.
The judges scored it 114-113, 116-111 and 116-111, with Rafferty a single point ahead on the closest card. The knockdown call was disputed, and DAZN asked viewers: "Do you agree with the knockdown?"
Bad Left Hook called it a "controversial (read: bad) knockdown call" but still scored the fight for Rafferty, 115-112.
Rafferty kept pressing throughout, while Martirosyan, from Belgium, had long spells of success on the counter.
The win moves Rafferty to 28-0-1. Martirosyan is now 20-2.
"He's a tough man," Rafferty said after the fight. "It takes two to tango."
The fight was on the undercard of Joshua Buatsi's rematch with Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBC title. Earlier in the night, Brad Rea stopped Ezra Taylor in the second round and Gully Powar beat Zak Miller for the vacant British featherweight title.
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