Jarrett Hurd wins split decision, becomes unified boxing champ
Jarrett Hurd somehow found another gear in his brutal ring war against Erislandy Lara. That extra gear made Hurd a unified junior middleweight champion.
Hurd defeated Lara by split decision (114-113, 114-113, 113-114) in Saturday night’s main event in front of a sold-out crowd at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel.
“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.
Hurd smothered Lara for most of the fight, but slowed down in the championship rounds. He left it all out in the ring in the 12th round, as Hurd dropped Lara with a left hook.
That knockdown won Hurd the fight. The fighter from Maryland was down on all three scorecards heading into the final round.
“I didn’t feel like (I needed) that,” Hurd said about 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.”
Hurd, 27, stopped the Cuban’s title defense winning streak of six. Lara, 34, was the longest reigning junior middleweight champion before Saturday.
“I thought I clearly won the fight,” Lara said. “Once again a decision goes against me, but we just gotta do the rematch. Hope everyone enjoyed the fight, and I’m looking forward to fight.”
In the co-main event, British star James DeGale vowed to retire if he lost to Caleb Truax a second time.
DeGale won’t have to hang up the gloves after defeating Truax by unanimous decision (117-110, 114-113, 114-113) to regain the IBF super middleweight belt. DeGale fell to Truax by unanimous decision in December.
“Two-time world champion. It feels great,” DeGale said. “Full credit to Caleb. He showed he can mix it with the top fighters.”
Both fighters were covered in blood after DeGale sustained a large gash under his left eye early in the bout. DeGale and Truax went to a hospital in the same ambulance, according to a Showtime official.
Julian “J Rock” Williams is one step closer to landing another world title shot after defeating Nathaniel Gallimore by majority decision (117-110, 116-112, 114-114) in an IBF junior middleweight elimination bout to open the Showtime-televised tripleheader.
The fight was almost stopped after Williams pummeled Gallimore in the 11th round. Williams was knocked out by Jermall Charlo during his first world title shot in 2016.
“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.”
Sergio Mora wasn’t happy with one of his judges after defeating Alfredo Angulo by split decision (78-74, 75-77, 78-74).
Adalaide Byrd was the only judge to score the fight for Angulo. Mora went over to shout at Byrd as Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett waived him away.
Byrd still hasn’t judged a title fight in Las Vegas since her controversial scorecard of 118-110 for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in the Gennady Golovkin bout at T-Mobile Arena in September.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GManzano24 on Twitter.
