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| Photo Credit;Stephanie Trapp-Showtime Sports |
In an unrelated note-this is the 4,000th post on this blog.
I'm amazed sometimes with just how much I've written about here.
Editor's Note:It turns out this is 3,995-Five posts that I've been working on, but haven't published were counted by Blogger.
I'll make the 4,000th later this week.
In the main event, Jarrett Hurd knocked Erislandy Lara down with seconds remaining in the fight and that knockdown was the difference on the scorecards as Hurd retained his IBF junior middleweight title and took Lara's WBA title for his own via a split decision.
The three scorecards all read 114-113 (two for Hurd and one for Lara), so without that knockdown, as the sun went down in the bout, both men would have retained their titles, but the result would have been a majority decision draw.
One has to love Jarrett Hurd, who is always aggressive and outworks his opponent, but unlike many fighters who win fights by accumulation, but rarely sit down on their shots and as result often fail to hurt the opposing fighter, Hurd has good power and when you look at that with the number of punches that he throws, Hurd's style makes him a very tough fighter to win a decision against.
Hurd's style makes fighters have to stand and fight far more often than they would like to and it usually is to their detriment.
That was the case in this one as Jarrett Hurd simply did not allow Erislandy Lara to move away, he forced Lara to engage and deliver a fun fight from a fighter that is often dull to watch.
Give Lara credit for a fine effort that was not in his usual style and dealt with an almost closed right eye, but I thought Hurd won a clear 115-112 decision (7-5 and a Hurd knockdown).
Hurd will likely fight Jermell Charlo in another unification fight next, the winner will hold three of the four titles after that bout.
Lara will likely fight a stay-busy bout and await that winner as this fight likely enhanced Lara more than hurt him.
As far Jermell Charlo, for all the talent that he has, his spectacular KO of Erickson Lubin ( who came into the fight with a questionable chin, I did pick Lubin though) and punching power, I found it interesting that a fighter without a win against a top-five fighter (Lubin and Vanes Martirosyan are his best wins) commented that it was Hurd preferring Lara to Charlo as an opponent before this fight.
I'm dubious of that claim, I doubt Hurd has that kind of pull (at least not yet) and with Charlo's lack of an opponent for a scheduled defense in June (bet on either a soft touch or a shopworn veteran name), I really have my doubts.
The Charlo brothers really have made their names off one (each) spectacular knockout over a talented, but untested opponent (Julian Williams for Jermall, the aforementioned Erickson Lubin for Jermell) and a large amount of social media for their hype.
Both fighters hit hard and are talented, I'm anxious to see what happens when someone fights back.
The semi-final saw James DeGale win back the IBF super middleweight title that he lost to Caleb Truax via a close unanimous decision. DeGale was badly cut in the third round but showed toughness in fighting his way through the cut.
Truax was busted around the eyes as well and marched forward throughout in a fight that just seemed to be always awkward through 24 rounds with two styles that didn't mesh well with each other as far as action and clean punches go.
I scored DeGale a 114-113 winner (7-5 minus a point deduction on DeGale in the late rounds).
DeGale will likely wish for unification with the World Boxing Super Series winner and WBA champion of the George Groves-Callum Smith fight, but he should have to get by the IBF interim champion Jose Uzcategui next.
As impressive as Uzcategui was in pounding Andre Dirrell and with DeGale looking like a faded version of himself since his draw with Badou Jack, I would rate Uzcategui a solid favorite to derail DeGale before a unification fight.
Truax will more than likely go back to his previous role as a trialhorse for the PBC's prospects and up and coming contenders with a little more prestige now as a former champion.
In the opener, Julian Williams won a majority decision over Nathaniel Gallimore to earn the IBF's mandatory position for Jarrett Hurd.
I'm amazed that someone saw this even as I thought Williams won 117-111 and didn't lose a round over the second half of the fight.
I was a big advocate of Williams before his only loss to Jermall Charlo (I picked him to win), but he still doesn't seem to be completely back from that loss.
No knockdowns in this, although Williams had Gallimore badly hurt in the eleventh, but could not finish the game.
I'm still not quite ready to quit on Williams, but he still has plenty to prove after looking good, not great.
In the boxing challenge, Ramon Malpica each earned three points on the night-two from James DeGale and one from Julian Williams.
I lead the challenge 59-46.
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