Both fighters traded shots nonstop for 12 rounds, standing toe-to-toe for many of them. One judge ruled the fight 114-114, while the other two had it 117-11 for Griffin and 115-114 for Sturm.

Griffin, ranked No. 1 by the WBA, never stopped moving forward and throwing punches at the favored German. By the final two rounds, the crowd was on its feet.

"I hope there is a rematch," Sturm said. "Randy deserved it and I need a rematch to prove something to myself."

Griffin (24-1-3, 12 knockouts) didn't have any big names on his record, but turned the fight around with a strong seventh round. He threw even more punches than before and caught Sturm with left and right hooks.

Griffin then won the rounds until Sturm rallied in the 11th, abandoning his counter-punching to attack and try and pull out the fight.

"It was a close decision," said Griffin, 31. "I was disappointed, I thought I won the fight."

Sturm (28-2-1, 12 knockouts) rocked Griffin with right uppercuts in the third and fifth rounds as it appeared he was headed to an expected victory.

Neither boxer had the power to knock the other out, although all the shots they took left both fighters' faces heavily marked.