By Jake Donovan

The long frame and low knockout output of Xu Can certainly didn’t seem to fit his “Monster” ring moniker.

Saturday’s spirited effort and major upset over Jesus Rojas will perhaps go a way in changing that perception.

The visiting challenger from China came up big, scoring a 12-round points win and lifting Rojas’ secondary title Saturday evening at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

An early candidate for Fight of the Year was a bit overshadowed by the final scores, with Can claiming a unanimous decision by scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110.

BoxingScene.com saw the action much closer, but with Can winning 115-113 in the end.

“I trained very hard for this, trained for a very long time,” an overjoyed Can told DAZN’s Chris Mannix after scoring the biggest win of his career. “Rojas is very tough, but I came here knowing that I would win this fight.

Can quickly adapted to his environment in fighting in his first major title fight (albeit a secondary title at stake). After having spent the opening round waiting for Rojas stuck through a peek-a-boo defense, the 24-year old from southeast China opened up his attack.

Rojas was steadily coming forward but was forced to absorb a number of body shots in his best effort to impose his will. An uppercut by Can interrupted a power-punching surge by the defending titlist, with both fighters carrying over the two-way action into round three.

Action never slowed, neither did Can’s punch output. No matter how often Rojas sought to dictate the pace and impose his will, the challenger never wilted. Rojas’ relentless pressure was often neutralized by Can’s ability to land from long range.

Rojas picked up the attack in round nine, landing the cleaner punches while Can remained the busier fighter. A dedicated body attack by the defending titlist seemed to slow down the first-time title challenger, but never longer than for only a brief moment.

The championship rounds saw Can continue to land from outside, forcing Rojas to work his way inside and perhaps his grind getting lost in the eyes of the judges. Still, both fighters closed out the sensational slugfest fighting as if they needed every second of every round just to prevail.

Rojas dug deep in efforts to mount one final attack down the stretch, only for Can to willingly trade every step of the way until the final bell.

“My power is from China. It was for my country,” exclaimed Can, who improves—in every sense of the word—to 16-2 (2KOs). I know I can (take) his punch. His punch is very strong, but I was able to defend it.”

Rojas managed to take Can’s best punch and keep coming forward, but his efforts merely resulted in his second straight defeat. This one leaves the 32-year old Puerto Rican without his title in tow, a fate he was spared when Joseph Diaz weighed over the featherweight limit in their clash last August, which Rojas also lost by decision.

Saturday’s defeat puts his record at 26-3-2 (19KOs), failing to make a single successful defense of the secondary title he claimed in a Sept. ’17 knockout win over Claudio Marrero.

Interestingly, Rojas’ loss came an hour or so after Marrero dropped a 12-round decision to 2012 Olympic Silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar in Brooklyn, New York. That win puts Nyambayar in line for a direct title shot versus WBC featherweight titlist Gary Russell Jr.

Can’s win puts him on course for a possible shot at WBA featherweight “super” titlist Leo Santa Cruz, who defends versus Mexico’s Rafael Rivera on February 16. You can count the new “regular” titlist among the interested observers.

“I’m not scared of anyone. I will fight anyone,” insists Can.

The bout streamed live on DAZN, in chief support to Jaime Munguia’s super welterweight title defense versus Japan’s Takeshi Inoue.