Australian boxer Jason Moloney has won the WBO bantamweight title, beating Vincent Astrolabio by majority decision to claim a major world title at the third time of asking.
Moloney produced a boxing masterclass, using the jab to land shots on his opponent and use his feet to make his 26-year-old Filipino opponent chase him around the ring, hitting nothing but air with his own power-shots.
The win was even more impressive given 32-year-old Moloney believed he broke his hand as early as the third or fourth round of the contest.
Power-puncher Astrolabio (18-4) looked desperately limited when faced with Moloney's superior footwork and hand speed, appearing one dimensional and increasingly frustrated.
But that did not stop a confused scorecard being read out that led to utter disbelief from the commentators ringside.
American judge Tom Carusone inexplicably called the fight a 114-114 draw, at which point ESPN ringside analyst Timothy Bradley simply said, "huh?" and Andre Ward made a snort of derision, adding "that's ridiculous" as the scores were read out.
The two other judges both called the fight in favour of Moloney by narrow scorelines of 115-113 and 116-112.
"They tried to rob him," said Bradley.
Moloney celebrated at the final bell, but his look of confusion at the reading of the scores was replaced by an explosion of joy at hearing his name called.
Bewildering scorecards aside, nothing can take away Moloney's superior ringcraft and game plan execution to win the world title vacated by pound-for-pound great Naoya Inoue.
Astrolabio was clearly planning to blast the Australian out of the ring with the sort of power that had bought him five knockout victories in his past six fights.
However, it was Moloney who boxed smarter, catching Astrolabio repeatedly with his precision double jab.
Astrolabio grew increasingly frustrated by his opponent darting out of range of his telegraphed upper cut, opening himself up to right-hand counters that sapped his energy.
His frustration was matched by that felt by the crowd in Stockton, California, with their boos fully vindicating Moloney's tactical acuity.
Astrolabio's power ensured that Moloney could never switch off.
He was cut above the left eye in the seventh, and then Astrolabio hurt him to the body with a short left hook in the final 60 seconds of the eighth.
Astrolabio was also cut above the right eye at the end of the eighth, and that appeared to spur the Filipino fighter on.
Moloney was caught by a short left hook and hurt, and then took some punishing shots at the start of the ninth, getting backed up for the first time in the contest.
But it was Moloney's experience that allowed him to smother Astrolabio's attacks and, after a brief scare, went back to his movement and counter-punched with a punishing right hand to the body.
Astrolabio bought some much-needed urgency in the final round, just missing with a wild upper cut that came close to rocking Moloney's head.
But Moloney closed the distance and had enough about him to see off the danger.
Moloney becomes Australia's latest world champion, joining Jai Opetaia (IBF cruiserweight), Tim Tszyu (WBO interim junior middleweight), Ebanie Bridges (IBF bantamweight) and Cherneka Johnson (IBF super bantamweight).
Next week, he will be hoping to be joined by his twin brother Andrew.
Andrew takes on Japanese fighter Junto Nakatani (24-0) for the WBO junior bantamweight strap in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand.
