Badou Jack and James DeGale fought to a thrilling draw in front of 10, 128 enthusiastic fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York in a IBF/WBC Super Middleweight unification bout.
DeGale dropped Jack in the 1st round from a pushing straight left hand. DeGale out boxed Jack over the 1st half of the fight as he landed quick combinations, where Jack was loading up and landing an occasional big shot on the ropes. The effects of those punches started to show on DeGale as his face started to mark up around the 8th round.
Behind on the cards, Jack went after DeGale and landed a huge counter right hand that sent DeGale to the canvas. DeGale was clearly hurt and it was in doubt the he would see the final bell. Jack landed a huge combination that hurt a now very bloody DeGale. DeGale did wise to hold on and even land a big left at the bell.
When the scores were read, it became clear that Jack needed that late knockdown as DeGale took a card 114-112, while 2 cards were even at 113-113.
Jack, 167.2 lbs of Stockholm, SWE is 20-1-3. DeGale, 166.5 lbs of Harlesdon, UK is 23-1-1.
BADOU JACK
“He was doing a lot of running, he was throwing a lot of shit at my guard. I thought I won the fight. I finished stronger. His knockdown was a flash knockdown. I won the fight.
“Let’s do it again at light heavyweight. It’s time to move to light heavyweight.
JAMES DEGALE
“I’ve got huge respect for this man, but I thought I won that. I landed the cleanest shots.
“Let’s do it again. Let’s do it again in London.
“He hit me (in the 12th), but I was more off balance. I respect him. He’s a good, round fighter. Let’s go again.”
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
“Badou Jack has got too big for 168 pounds. We had plans after this fight to move up to light heavyweight. This is the second time in a row Badou has gotten a bad decision. James DeGale is a hell of a fighter, but tonight he didn’t win. At the end of the day, I don’t know what the judges are looking at.”
Gervonta Davis won the IBF Junior Lightweight championship with a 7th round stoppage over Jose Pedraza.
Davis came out landing quick and hard shots. He mixed up between single and hard combinations that had Pedraza’s nose bleeding by the 3rd round.
Pedraza made a brief comeback in round 4 s he landed a heavy combination to the head. That was short lived as Davis started to turn back the tide in round five. In round six, he started landing more heavy shots to the point that Pedraza was thoroughly examined by ringside doctors before the 7th frame. It did not last long after that as a hard body shot doubled over Pedraza, which left him oipen for a wicked uppercut that was followed by a left that dumped the champion on his backside. Pedraza gamely got to his feet, but the bout was stopped at 2:36.
Davis, 129 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 17-0 with 16 knockouts. Pedraza, 129.5 lbs of Caguas, PR is 22-1.\
Amanda Serrano won a 10-round unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas to retain the WBO Junior Featherweight championship.
Serrano, 1208 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 97-93, 98-92 and 99-91 and is now 31-1-1. Rivas, 121.5 lb so Torreon, MX is 35-10-1.
Immanuwel Aleem scored a stunning 6th round stoppage over Ievgen Khytrov in a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.
Aleem dropped Khytrov in round’s three and six with powerful left hooks, and then finished him off with hard flurry on the ropes.
Aleem, 158.5 lbs of Richmond, VA is 17-0-1 with 10 knockouts. Khytrov, 159.5 lbs of Brooklyn is 14-1.
Thomas Dulorme stopped Brian Jones in the 6th round of their scheduled 8-round welterweight bout.
Dulorme, 145.8 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 24-2 with 16 knockouts. Jones, 144.5 lbs of Los Angeles is now 13-7.
Adam Kownacki stopped Joshua Tufte in the 2nd round of their scheduled 8-round heavyweight bout.
Kownacki, 257.8 lbs of New York, NU is 15-0 with 12 knockouts. Tufte, 265.8 lbs of Kernerville, NC is 19-2.
Noel Murphy remained perfect with a 6-round unanimous decision over Maxito Sainvil in a welterweight bout.
Murphy, 146.4 lbs of Woodlawn. NY won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 8-0. Sainvil, 148.8 lbs of Nyack, NY is 4-1-1.
Kenny Robles made a successful pro debut with a 4-round unanimous decision over Latorie Woodberry in a welterweight bout.
Robles, 144 lbs of Staten Island, NY won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 1-0. Woodberry, 141.6 lbs of Roanoke, VA 1-3-1.
