Junior Fa scores majority decision over American Craig Lewis ^Featured

While Fa tired down the stretch of the eight-round bout in Deadwood, South Dakota, he always appeared in control and eyebrows were raised when the first judge scored the fight 76-76.

However, the remaining two judges had it 78-74 and 79-73, both in the Aucklander's favour as he claimed a majority decision to extend his professional record to 14-0.

The result was in complete contrast to his last bout in the US, when he stopped Fred Latham in the first round.

The 28-year-old will know he has plenty of room for improvement. But Lewis, a former amateur champion, presented a much sterner test having only tasted defeat once in his previous 16 fights.

Fa set the tone early, establishing the jab in the opening two rounds while looking to land a big right hand on several occasions.

At 1.96m, Lewis is the same height as Fa and is more a boxer than a power puncher. But Fa never allowed him to find a rhythm.

The third round was a scrappy affair as Lewis continuously tied up the Kiwi. Fa responded at the start of the fourth with a crisp one-two combination but to Lewis' credit, he refused to lie down.

The American even appeared to find his second wind and landed a heavy right in the seventh round that drew blood from Fa's nose.

Neither fighter came close to securing a knockout in the final round, but Fa landed more power shots to earn the decision and continue his rise up the heavyweight rankings.

- Stuff