Kessler retains WBA belt on points
 |  Kessler (right) lands a left hand on Mundine on his way to defending his WBA world title |
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SYDNEY, Australia -- Mikkel Kessler of Denmark retained his WBA super middleweight world title with a unanimous points decision against Australian Anthony Mundine.
Kessler, fighting for only the second time outside Denmark, won on all three judges' cards -- 116-112, 117-113 and 120-108.
The 26-year-old remains undefeated in 36 fights while former WBA titleholder Mundine recorded his third loss in 26 bouts.
Mundine appeared slightly ahead on the judges' cards after the opening three rounds but Kessler then bloodied the Australian's nose and took control for the next two rounds.
Mundine used his speed and left jab to keep the big-punching Dane at bay for the next three rounds.
He rocked Kessler with a big right hand in the ninth round but the Dane rallied and a bruise developed under Mundine's eye in the penultimate 11th round.
Kessler won the WBA title last November by stopping Puerto Rican Manny Siaca in the eighth round in Copenhagen, some six months after Siaca defeated Mundine in a split decision in Sydney.
Kessler showed no ill-effects of a back injury which forced a four-week postponement of the fight.
