UNCASVILLE, Connecticut – A cut over Vladimir Shishkin’s left eye gave him more trouble Wednesday night than Sena Agbeko.

The unbeaten Russian super middleweight contender out-worked Ghana’s Agbeko, landed twice as many punches as his opponent and overcame that cut in the second half of their fight to win a 10-round unanimous decision at Mohegan Sun Arena. Judges Don Ackerman (100-90) and Glenn Feldman (100-90) each scored it a shutout for Shishkin, who won eight rounds on judge John McKaie’s card (98-92).

Shishkin’s victory was the second fight Showtime televised as part of its “ShoBox: The New Generation” series.

The 29-year-old Shishkin (12-0, 7 KOs) ended Abgeko’s eight-fight winning streak. The 28-year-old Agbeko (23-2, 18 KOs) fought for the first time since he defeated Roy King Jr. by unanimous decision in an eight-rounder 13 months ago in Nashville.

King slipped into a coma following that fight. He died last week at the age of 42 from brain damage sustained during that loss.

Agbeko landed two right hands with just under a minute left in the 10th round. Those shots seemed to wake up Shishkin, who fired back with a right hand of his own that backed Agbeko into the ropes.

Agbeko went after Shishkin at the start of the ninth round, but Shishkin quickly put Agbeko on his back foot and landed a hard left hook that seemed to buzz him. Agbeko was reluctant to engage after taking that shot early in the ninth round.

Shishkin was the aggressor throughout the eighth round, when he landed several flush right hands.

Agbeko’s left hook caught Shishkin pulling back about 50 seconds into the seventh round. Shishkin connected with a right hand with just under a minute to go in the seventh.

A ringside physician looked at a cut above Shishkin’s left eye before allowing the sixth round to begin. Sensing his cut could become an issue, Shishkin was more aggressive in that round.

Shishkin’s right hand landed flush with just under 1:40 to go in the sixth round. A straight right by Shishkin backed Agbeko into the ropes with just under 30 seconds remaining in that round.

Agbeko landed a left hook with just over 30 seconds to go in the fifth round. A cut opened over Shishkin’s left eye earlier in that round.

Shishkin and Agbeko traded right hands in the center of the ring a minute into the fourth round. Agbeko backed up Shishkin with a right hand and then landed a jab as Shishkin moved away from him. 

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.