World Boxing Organization Asia-Pacific super welterweight champion Takeshi Inoue of World Sports Boxing Gym dropped a lopsided decision to undefeated WBO global champion Tim Tszyu of Australia in the 12-round title unification match on Nov. 17 at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena.

The 31-year-old Inoue suffered a knockdown in the final round with Tszyu’s overhand right when he lost his balance for a mandatory eight count but managed to last the round.

Two of the three judges scored the fight 120-107 and the remaining one had it 119-108, all in favor of the 27-year-old Tszyu, the WBO’s top-ranked contender.

The tight-guarded Inoue, who unsuccessfully challenged then WBO super welterweight champion Jaime Munguia of Mexico in 2019, was hit by the Australian from various angles throughout the fight and failed to land his effective punches in combination.

With the victory, Tszyu, a son of legendary former world champion Kostya Tszyu, extended his unbeaten log to 20 wins, including 15 knockouts. For his part, Inoue, ranked sixth in the world division, fell to a 17-2-1 win-loss-draw tally with 10 KOs.

In the chief supporting fight, Wade Ryan of Australia hammered out a 10-round unanimous decision over second-ranked Japanese middleweight Wachukwu Nath, a stablemate of Inoue, and retained his IBO international super welterweight title.