Jason Sosa decisions Stephen Smith to retain title

Jason Sosa made a successful first defense of his WBA super featherweight “world” title today, winning a decision over Stephen Smith on Monte Carlo.

Sosa (20-1-4, 15 KO) dropped Smith in the second round, and won on scores of 116-111, 116-112, and 117-110. The 28-year-old New Jersey native won the title in Beijing on June 24, and is probably hoping to come home for his next fight.

Smith (24-3, 14 KO) dropped his second world title fight of this year, following an April loss to IBF titleholder Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, which aired on Showtime in the United States. The 31-year-old Smith, from Liverpool, England, will have to work his way back into another title shot, but he could get one in 2017.

The rest of the show saw heavyweight Luis Ortiz win a boring decision over Malik Scott, Jamie McDonnell getting a very controversial decision over Liborio Solis to retain the WBA bantamweight “world” title, and Martin Murray gut out a 12-round win over short notice replacement opponent Nuhu Lawal of Nigeria.