Gilberto Ramirez won the WBO super middleweight belt with a complete shutout decision over defending titleholder Arthur Abraham on the undercard of Pacquiao-Bradley III at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

With the win, Ramirez became the first Mexican to win a major 168-pound title.

For the first three rounds Abraham (44-5, 29 KOs) stayed behind his gloves with no response to the aggressive Ramirez (34-0, 24 KOs), who used his size (6-foot-2) advantage well, controlling the distance with jabs to set up his power punches — many of them aimed at Abraham’s body. He appeared to hurt Abraham with a straight-ish right hook to the head near the end of Round 2.

Abraham increased his output in Round 4 onward, attacking with heavy hands — more of which landed in the later rounds as he dutifully followed the more mobile Ramirez around the ring — but was too inactive and inaccurate to make a difference. Anyone hoping that Abraham was saving up for a last-minute blitz was sorely disappointed.

Scores were 120-108 across the board.