Jarrett Hurd needed a final round knockdown to pull out a 12-round split decision over Erislandy Lara to retain his IBF and capture the WBA Junior Middleweight titles at The Joint at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.
Lara started out well as he was able to land solid left hands on the inside. Hurd came back as he stalked the whole fight, and his pressure started to catch up to Lara.
Lara started to swell and the bleed around his left eye in round nine. In round twelve, with Lara now bleeding badly around the right eye, Hurd landed a short left hook on the inside that sent Lara to the canvas. Lara was not only able to get up but stood toe to toe with Hurd up until the final bell.
Hurd took two cards by the razor thin tallies of 114-113, while Lara won a card 114-113.
Hurd, 153 lbs of Accokeek, MD is now 22-0. Lara, 153.5 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 25-3-2.
It was a tough one, but I went out there and did exactly what I said I was going to do – fight all 12 rounds and get the victory,” Hurd said. “I didn’t feel like that (I needed the knockdown). I feel like I was in control the whole fight, applying the pressure.
“I don’t think it had anything to do with age. I think it was me and the game plan we had to apply the pressure.”
“’Swift’ isn’t ducking anyone,” Hurd responded. “I’m No. 1 now. We’re calling the shots.”
“Besides the last round, I thought I was winning this fight easily,” Lara said. “That’s not to decide the fight. I was winning the fight. One punch in a fight doesn’t determine the fight.
“It was a great fight for the fans. I stood there, fought and it was fun. I thought I clearly won the fight. Once again a decision goes against me, but h?ey we just have to do the rematch.”
In a ugly and bloody battle, James DeGale regained the IBF Super Middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Caleb Truax.
The bout featured a lot of holding and headbutts, but DeGale was able to land the flashier punches in spots during the fight.
In round three, DeGale was cut around the right eye from a punch.
In round seven, Truax was cut along the left eye from an accidental headbutt. A round later, Truax was cut over his right eye. In round ten, DeGale was deducted a point for using his shoulder.
DeGale took most of the second half of the fight, and won by scores of 117-110 and 114-113 twice.
DeGale, 167.2 lbs of Haresdon ENG is now 24-2-1. Truax, 167.8 lbs of Osseo, MN is 29-4-2.
“Two-time world champion. It feels great,” DeGale said. “But full credit to Caleb – he shows he can mix it with the top fighters.
“I’m just happy that I’m a two time world champion and I got my IBF world title back. I’m back, Team Chunky, we’re back. Two-and-a-half years I had it and I lost it to Caleb. He embarrassed me, but we’re back.”
“I couldn’t see from my right eye, DeGale said. “I like Robert Byrd (referee), but today he was a bit wrong. I couldn’t see. But I’m just glad I got through it. I showed some heart. In my last fight, I was like a weak little kid.”
“I thought I did enough to win the fight, but I also thought I was pretty flat and didn’t get my shots off like I wanted,” Truax said. “I was just a little bit flat. I felt really good coming in but I just couldn’t get my shots off like the last fight. He never hurt me, but it is what it is.
“I gave him a rematch straight away so why not do it again.”
Julian Williams won a 12-round majority decision over Nathaniel Gallimore in a junior middleweight bout.
In round five, Williams was cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt.
Williams had a big round eleven when he landed a big left hook that started an onslaugh of punches that had Gallimore wobbling for much of the round.
Williams, 154 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 117-110, 116-112 and 114-114, and is now 25-1-1. Gallimore, 153 lbs of Chicago is 20-2-1.
Williams outlanded Gallimore 191-107.
“I wasn’t surprised a judge had a draw,” Williams said. “Sometimes when you’re fighting real close like that, it is hard for judges to score. I knew I won. Once I heard 116-112 and 117-111, I knew I won because I knew he didn’t win eight rounds.
“He is a strong fighter, but I knew he was going to do what he did. Start strong early, but I knew he wasn’t strong after six rounds.
“The hits to the body was all in the game plan. You have to go to the body in a 12 round fight.
“I didn’t really think I won the fight,” Gallimore admitted. “I just let too many early rounds go. I just gave him too many rounds. I had him hurt a couple of times, but he was tough. I should have done more combinations. I will look at the fight and review it, and will make adjustments.”
Emanuel Medina defeated Saul Corral via eight-round unanimous decision in a welterweight bout.
Medina, 146.2 lbs of Los Angeles, CA won by scores of 80-72 twice and 79-73 to keep perfect at 14-0. Corral, 146 lbs of Sonora, MX is 27-11.
Xavier Martinez remained undefeated by stopping Jairo Vargas in round two of their scheduled six-round junior lightweight bout.
Martinez dropped Vargas in round one. In round Martinez landed a left hook that sent Vargas down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:22.
Martinez, 131 lbs of Sacramento, CA is now 11-0 with 7 knockouts. Vargas, 131.8 lbs of Richmond, VA is 6-4.
Sharone Carter scored a eight-round unanimous decision previously undefeated Ahmed Mahmood in a featherweight bout.
Scores were 79-73, 78-74 and 77-75 for Carter, 125.4 lbs of St. Louis to raise his record to 9-2. Mahmood, 124.5 lbs of Detroit, MI is 7-1-1.
