NEW YORK – This win was especially gratifying for Alberto Puello.

The two-time super lightweight champion made his first successful title defense Saturday night 2½ years after he first became a 140-pound world champion. The Dominican veteran retained his WBC belt by fending off Spain’s Sandor Martin, whom Puello defeated by split decision in a closely contested tactical battle between southpaws on the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach undercard at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Judges David Sutherland (115-113) and Don Trella (116-112) scored seven and eight rounds, respectively, for Puello, who improved to 24-0. Mark Consentino scored seven rounds for Martin (42-4, 15 KOs), who won 115-113 on his card.

There weren’t any knockdowns during their unremarkable bout and neither fighter appeared badly hurt by any punches his opponent landed.

Martin upset four-division champion Mikey Garcia by unanimous decision in their 10-rounder in November 2021. He almost knocked off Teofimo Lopez, the since-crowned WBO junior welterweight champion who narrowly won a split decision over the Barcelona native in December 2022 at nearby Madison Square Garden.

Martin mostly fought off his back foot. He couldn’t overcome the taller, rangier Puello’s jab, though, and lost more often than not during exchanges when they occasionally let their hands go.

Puello, 30, defended the title he won when he defeated Gary Antuanne Russell by split decision last June 15 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. He never defended the WBA belt he won in August 2022 because he tested positive for clomiphene, a banned substance, before his first scheduled title defense against Rolando “Rolly” Romero in May 2023.

The WBA eventually stripped its 140-pound title from Puello in July 2023 because he acknowledged that he took clomiphene to recover from surgery that enabled his wife to give birth to their first biological child in August 2023. Had Puello acknowledged on his Voluntary Anti-Doping Association paperwork that his surgeon prescribed clomiphene to him following surgery, his testosterone levels would’ve been monitored and he wouldn’t have been suspended.