Charles Conwell fought through a nasty cut over his left eye and Juan Carlos Abreu’s questionable tactics to remain unbeaten Saturday night.

Cleveland’s Conwell, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, displayed poise and mostly picked apart Abreu to his head and body on his way to winning a 10-round majority decision on the Jose Zepeda-Regis Prograis undercard at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Judge Zachary Young scored eight rounds for Conwell, 98-92, but judge Fernando Villareal credited Conwell for a narrower win, 96-94, and judge Ron Scott Stevens had it even, 95-95.

The 25-year-old Conwell, a skillful junior middleweight contender who is ranked by the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO, improved to 18-1 (13 KOs). The 35-year-old Abreu (25-7-1, 23 KOs, 1 NC), of La Romana, Dominican Republic, has only been stopped inside the distance by welterweight knockout artist Jaron Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs, 1 NC).

Conwell clearly wanted to knock out Abreu in the 10th round, but Abreu let his hands go and backed Conwell into the ropes during the opening minute of that final round. Conwell dug to Abreu’s body later in the 10th round to counter Abreu’s aggression.

Conwell’s right-left combination caused Abreu to stumble about 1:15 into the ninth round. Abreu recovered quickly, though, and remained on his feet after taking several more flush punches from Conwell in the ninth round.

A right-left combination by Conwell caught Abreu with just over 25 seconds to go in the eighth round. Conwell caught Abreu with a right to the side of his head just before the midway mark of the eighth round.

A perfectly placed left hook to the body by Conwell caught Abreu with 20 seconds remaining in the seventh round. About 10 seconds later, Conwell landed another left hook to the body and followed with a right hand to Abreu’s head.

Referee Jerry Cantu warned Abreu for a low blow with just under a minute to go in the sixth round. A left hook by Conwell made Abreu stumble forward a few seconds after the halfway point of the sixth round, into the ropes.

A left hook by Conwell made Abreu stumble forward a few seconds after the halfway point of the sixth round, into the ropes.

Abreu smiled after Conwell connected with a right-left combination with 1:20 to go in the fifth round. Conwell responded by unloading a five-punching combination that moved Abreu backward.

Probably due to the blood flowing from his cut, Conwell fought with a sense of urgency throughout the fourth round, when he was active and accurate, particularly with his right hand. Conwell wobbled Abreu with a right hand and then a left hook that caused Abreu to hold him barely a minute into the fourth round.

A right-left combination by Conwell backed up Abreu with just under a minute to go in the third round. Abreu and Conwell wrestled for position and tried to land short shots on the inside during the first half of the third round.

A right hand by Conwell backed up Abreu with just under 20 seconds on the clock in the second round.

Abreu’s chopping right hand landed directly on Conwell’s cut with just under a minute remaining in the second round. Conwell was clearly bothered at times by blood from that cut during the second round.

An accidental clash of heads caused a cut above Conwell’s left eye toward the end of the first round. Blood was noticeable on Conwell’s face as he walked back to his corner after the bell rang.

Conwell connected with a short right to the side of Abreu’s head with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the opening round. Conwell crowded Abreu at times in the first round and usually kept his gloves held high.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.