Teresa Perozzi retained her WBA world middleweight belt after seeing off challenger April Ward at Berkeley Institute tonight.Despite dictating the tempo througout the fight with a barrage of devastating left hooks, Perozzi was forced to go the distance before being unanimously declared the winner.American judges Lynn Carter and Steve Weisfield both had Perozzi winning 100 – 90, while local judge Vic Richmond also had the defending champ ahead 99 – 92.With the win Perozzi improved her pro record to 9-4-1 while Ward slipped to 8-5-0.The 38-year-old southpaw peppered Ward throughout the entire fight but failed to deliver the knockout her performance so richly deserved.“I should've had the knockout, but I didn't prepare for her running that much,” Perozzi said. “But it's a win and I'll take it.”Ward took defeat all in stride.“I am proud if what I did and there's no shame in losing to the world champ,” she said. “I'm glad I lasted ten rounds and done the best I've ever done.”* For more pictures, click here.