2 years ago
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Philadelphia autochthonal and undefeated boxer Stephen Fulton arrived past week successful Las Vegas with 1 extremity successful mind: beating Brandon Figueroa and unifying the 122-pound division.
He’ll permission Las Vegas arsenic the unified inferior featherweight champion, needing 2 much belts to scope his eventual extremity of undisputed 122-pound supremacy.
Fulton (20-0, 8 knockouts) outpointed Figueroa (22-1-1, 17 KOs) connected Saturday nighttime astatine the Dolby Theater wrong Park MGM to unify the inferior featherweight part and brace Figueroa’s WBC crown with his WBO title. After 12 rounds of relentless action, the judges ringside scored the combat 116-112, 116-112, 114-114 successful Fulton’s favor.
Both fighters were awarded with a lasting ovation by a rowdy assemblage wrong the intimate venue. Much deserved aft an arduous 36 minutes that pushed the 2 champions to the brink.
Figueroa dictated the tempo and gait of the combat with his aggressive, pressuring style. He marched toward Fulton passim the 12 rounds and forced Fulton to deviate from his tactical, fundamentally dependable style.
But Fulton was crippled and willfully traded connected the inside, mixing uppercuts and assemblage shots astir clinches that helped him minimize punishment. He fought astatine scope erstwhile helium could, employing a dependable jab to support Figueroa away. But the 24-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, continued to property guardant and ne'er deviated from his assertive approach.
Figueroa appeared to stun Fulton midway done the 10th round, but the 27-year aged recovered toward the extremity and really threw a mates of flurries. He was the better-conditioned combatant arsenic good and remained crisp successful the title rounds portion Figueroa began to fade.
Fulton was close and sharper, connecting connected 269 of his 726 punches for a 36 percent link rate, according to Showtime’s ShoStats. Figueroa landed 314 of his 1,060 punches for a link complaint of 29 percent.
But measurement unsocial wasn’t capable to bushed Fulton.
Aleem rolls, wants rubric shot
In the co-feature, chap inferior featherweight and Las Vegas nonmigratory Raeese Aleem (19-0, 12 KOs) worked his mode to a 98-92, 96-94, 95-95 bulk determination implicit Eduardo Baez (20-2-2, 7 KOs) to sphere his unbeaten record.
Aleem controlled the gait of the combat arsenic the aggressor and landed much than doubly arsenic galore punches (232-111) arsenic Baez, per Showtime’s ShoStats earlier calling for a changeable against Fulton successful his post-fight interview.
“They tin tally but they can’t hide,” the 31-year-old Michigan autochthonal said. “I’m a dog. I grinded it out. I turned southpaw and got caught with immoderate shots, but I hung successful there. I tin bent with anyone. It doesn’t substance who steps successful determination against me, I’m going to win.”
Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@eviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.
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