In the scheduled co-feature, Richardson Hitchins claimed food poisoning combined with the IBF's re-hydration clause (in IBF title fights, the fighters must weigh in at ten pounds or less over the division limit on the day of the match) rendered him unable to defend the title as scheduled against Oscar Duarte.
The situation is muddled as the IBF could strip Hitchins and schedule a vacant title fight between their two contenders, Duarte and Lindolfo Delgado, or demand Hitchins fight his mandatory (Delgado) or face Duarte as planned.
Gary Antuanne Russell retained his WBA version of the 140-pound championship with a close and hard-fought unanimous decision over his mandatory challenger, Andy Hiraoka.
Russell was the busier fighter and built a sizable lead on the cards, but lost several rounds in the second half of the fight and held off the late rush of Hiraoka.
Hiraoka was deducted a point for a low blow in the tenth, which ended any hope of a comeback win.
Judges' scores for Russell were 117-111, 116-112, and 116-112, while I had Russell winning 115-112.
Former lightweight title challenger Frank Martin and Nahir Albright slugged for ten even rounds in a junior welterweight match.
So even, all three judges and I scored it the same, 95- 95, a draw.
It was an easy fight to score with Martin controlling the first half and Albright the second.
A rematch would be welcomed, but Martin is affiliated with PBC, as is Gary Antuanne Russell, and I wouldn't be surprised to see a Russell title defense against Martin.
In a super middleweight ten-rounder, Bektemir Melikuziev fought through a severe cut over his left eye to stop Sena Agbeko in the seventh round.
There were several head clashes between the two, and one caused the cut in the middle rounds.
Melikuziev scored a knockdown in the seventh, and after Agbeko rose, Melikuziev drove Agbeko into the ropes, forcing the referee to end the fight.
In Manchester, England, Leigh Wood dominated Josh Warrington in their junior lightweight rematch, winning a unanimous decision.
Boxing Challenge
TRS: 20 Pts (2)
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