American boxer Jarrett Hurd defeated Cuban Erislandy Lara via split decision in a brutal, tough fight, unifying the International Federation of Junior Middleweight world titles. Boxing (FIB) and World Association (WBA).
The fight that was played at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (Nevada), before 2,579 attendees, who filled the venue, Hurd knocked down Lara with a powerful left hook with 15 seconds remaining to conclude the fight.
The crash allowed Hurd to score the points necessary for victory, after two judges gave him scores of 114-113. The third opted for Lara with the same score.
Lara, 34, resides in Houston (Texas), where he has his training headquarters, and was making his seventh defense of the title.
There will likely be another unification bout for Hurd against champion Jermell Charlo (30-0, 15 knockouts) should he retain his title on June 9 against an opponent who will later be designated.
This time the Cuban got off to a fast start, punishing Hurd with body shots, making for a more offensive fight than he normally presents.
The 27-year-old Hurd, who left his mark at 22-0 with 15 knockouts, made his second title defense.
The American seemed to begin to control the actions from the third episode, although the Cuban never allowed it and the punishment was mutual.
In the sixth round, Lara, who saw her record fall to 25-3-2, with 14 knockouts, landed a dangerous short uppercut to the face of the American fighter, but was unable to finish.
Although the entire fight was loaded with emotional moments, the ninth round was brutal as they passed during the three minutes they were involved in a constant exchange of blows.
The tenth lap was similar, but neither of the two gave ground in favor of the rival. In the eleventh round, Hurd attacked the body and head and aggravated the inflammation in Lara’s right eye.
For the last round, Hurd looked like he was looking for the knockout, while Lara, who was already showing fatigue, tried to tie himself to him in search of not receiving the blow that could do him more damage.
Hurd placed two uppercuts and Lara fell back, so the American continued firing his best weapons at the Cuban who no longer managed to come out of the attack.
With 15 seconds remaining in the fight Hurd found Lara with a left hook and sent him to the mat.
Lara, with a hemorrhage in her right eyebrow, was able to stand up, but it would ultimately be devastating for him in qualifications.
“I am not satisfied with the final verdict of the fight because I honestly believe that regardless of what happened in the last round, the real winner of the fight was me,” Lara declared at the end of the fight. “The last round knockdown I recovered from can’t define an entire fight I mastered.”
Lara also stressed that it had been a great fight for the fans because he went out into the ring to really box and put on a show.
“It was certainly a great fight for the fans. I went out, I fought, and everything was positive, “Lara said. “I think I clearly won the fight and again another decision that was made against me, but now what counts is that we will be ready to have a rematch.”
It was the seventh title unification fight in division history and the first since Floyd Mayweather easily edged out Mexican Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez in 2013.
The other unification bouts that occurred previously were those of Terry Norris-Paul Vaden, Félix Trinidad-Fernando Vargas, Óscar de laa Hoya-Vargas, Winky Wright-Shane Mosley and Álvarez-Austin Trout.
The fight that was played at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (Nevada), before 2,579 attendees, who filled the venue, Hurd knocked down Lara with a powerful left hook with 15 seconds remaining to conclude the fight.
The crash allowed Hurd to score the points necessary for victory, after two judges gave him scores of 114-113. The third opted for Lara with the same score.
Lara, 34, resides in Houston (Texas), where he has his training headquarters, and was making his seventh defense of the title.
There will likely be another unification bout for Hurd against champion Jermell Charlo (30-0, 15 knockouts) should he retain his title on June 9 against an opponent who will later be designated.
This time the Cuban got off to a fast start, punishing Hurd with body shots, making for a more offensive fight than he normally presents.
The 27-year-old Hurd, who left his mark at 22-0 with 15 knockouts, made his second title defense.
The American seemed to begin to control the actions from the third episode, although the Cuban never allowed it and the punishment was mutual.
In the sixth round, Lara, who saw her record fall to 25-3-2, with 14 knockouts, landed a dangerous short uppercut to the face of the American fighter, but was unable to finish.
Although the entire fight was loaded with emotional moments, the ninth round was brutal as they passed during the three minutes they were involved in a constant exchange of blows.
The tenth lap was similar, but neither of the two gave ground in favor of the rival. In the eleventh round, Hurd attacked the body and head and aggravated the inflammation in Lara’s right eye.
For the last round, Hurd looked like he was looking for the knockout, while Lara, who was already showing fatigue, tried to tie himself to him in search of not receiving the blow that could do him more damage.
Hurd placed two uppercuts and Lara fell back, so the American continued firing his best weapons at the Cuban who no longer managed to come out of the attack.
With 15 seconds remaining in the fight Hurd found Lara with a left hook and sent him to the mat.
Lara, with a hemorrhage in her right eyebrow, was able to stand up, but it would ultimately be devastating for him in qualifications.
“I am not satisfied with the final verdict of the fight because I honestly believe that regardless of what happened in the last round, the real winner of the fight was me,” Lara declared at the end of the fight. “The last round knockdown I recovered from can’t define an entire fight I mastered.”
Lara also stressed that it had been a great fight for the fans because he went out into the ring to really box and put on a show.
“It was certainly a great fight for the fans. I went out, I fought, and everything was positive, “Lara said. “I think I clearly won the fight and again another decision that was made against me, but now what counts is that we will be ready to have a rematch.”
It was the seventh title unification fight in division history and the first since Floyd Mayweather easily edged out Mexican Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez in 2013.
The other unification bouts that occurred previously were those of Terry Norris-Paul Vaden, Félix Trinidad-Fernando Vargas, Óscar de laa Hoya-Vargas, Winky Wright-Shane Mosley and Álvarez-Austin Trout.