Flanagan retains WBO lightweight title

Associated Press

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Terry Flanagan retained his WBO lightweight belt and remained unbeaten after defeating Russian challenger Petr Petrov by unanimous decision on Saturday.

The judges awarded the fight to Flanagan (33-0, 19 KO) with scores of 116-112, 120-108, 118-110.

Petrov (38-5-2) gave Flanagan problems in the early rounds, but the hometown fighter came on strong in the second half and rocked Petrov in the ninth round.

It was Flanagan's fifth defense of the belt he won in 2015.