Devastating Accidental Head-Butt Ends J’Leon Love-Abie Han Fight in Technical Majority Draw;

Caleb Plant Stays Unbeaten With Shutout Decision Over Andrew Hernandez

赶上重播 星期一, 七. 11, 在 10 P.M. AND/PT在SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

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LAS VEGAS (七. 8, 2017) – At 20 岁月, 9 months old, 大卫Benavidez became boxing’s youngest world champion – and the youngest ever in the super middleweight division – with a split decision victory over 罗纳德Gavril 在周五 night on an exciting night of 168-pound action on 欣欣拳击: 特别版本 从在Hard Rock酒店联合 & 赌场. See the video of the decision via Twitter link 这里.

Benavidez (19-0, 17 科斯) placed the previously vacated WBC Super Middleweight belt around his waist after winning the title against former European amateur standout Gavril (18-2, 14 科斯) in what Benavidez later described as quite possibly the “Fight of the Year.” One scorecard had Gavril winning 116-111, with Benavidez winning on the other two scorecards, 116-111 和 117-111 in the event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“It feels amazing to win this title,” said the Phoenix resident Benavidez. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid. It’s everything I’ve dedicated myself to and I’ve worked hard for. It finally paid off.”

The 31-year-old Romanian Gavril, who trains at Mayweather’s Gym in Las Vegas by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, sent Benavidez to the canvas with a left hook with just 50 seconds left in the wild 12^日 而最后一轮.

“我觉得我赢得了战斗. I dominated the pace. I can’t say anything else other than it was up to the judges,” Gavril said, who was watched by his promoter all-time great Floyd Mayweather from ringside. “The only thing I can do is to ask for a rematch.”

Benavidez, who turned pro at age 16 and only had 15 业余打架, took control of the fight early on, but Gavril seemed to gain steam mid-fight, out-boxing and being more active than Benavidez in the seventh, 第八和第九轮. In rounds 11 和 12, Benavidez out-landed Gavril 66-35 整体和 53-14 with power punches.

“I felt my performance was good except for the last round when I got too anxious and wanted to knock him out,贝纳维德斯说. “I let my young side takeover and I wanted to give the fans a great fight. I didn’t really feel hurt but it was a shock knockdown. I know to be careful and more cautious. It was a learning experience.”

In another super middleweight contest, 艾比韩 suffered a devastating accidental head-butt againstJ'Leon爱 在 1:02 into the eighth round and the fight went to the scorecards. One judge had Las Vegas’ Love winning 79-73, and the other two 76-76 making the decision a technical majority draw.

Following an exchange of punches, 爱 (23-1-1, 13 科斯) leaned in and the two fighter banged heads in violent fashion. 他 (26-3-1, 16 科斯) 埃尔帕索, 得克萨斯州, was left stunned and fell to the floor as blood gushed from his forehead above his left eye and he was immediately checked on by referee Kenny Bayless.

他, who left the arena sitting up on a stretcher before hearing the decision, won the statistical battle in the ring. Han landed more blows (78-47 总体, 20-12 刺戳, 58-35 动力) and did so more accurately (24 ％至 17 percent overall, 16 percent to eight percent jabs and 30 ％至 27 percent power).

SHOWTIME boxing analyst Al Bernstein had Han winning by one point at the time of the stoppage.

“I can’t rate my performance as great because I didn’t get a victory, I got a draw,” said Love, who once trained at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit under Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward.

The 29-year-old Love ended nearly a one-year layoff with his return to the ring. “I’m kind of rusty but I feel like I pressed the action and tried to take it to him,“他说，. “Other than that I feel like I landed the cleaner shots.”

在转播的开幕回合, unbeaten super middleweight prospect 迦勒厂 (16-0, 10 科斯) recorded a 10-round shutout decision against a tough 安德鲁·埃尔南德斯 (19-7-1, 9 科斯), 100-90 三次.

厂, who resides in Las Vegas by way of Ashland City, 天恩, was the more active fighter against the 31-year-old switch-hitting journeyman Hernandez, who took the fight on just eight days’ notice after Alan Campa dropped out. Plant jabbed effectively (81 的 271, 30 百分) while neutralizing Hernandez’s usually effective jab (46 的 325, 14 百分). Plant was also sharp with his power shots landing 44 percent to Hernandez’s 19 百分.

“I’m very pleased with my performance,” Plant said. “I boxed well and I dictated the pace. I pressed when I needed to press and boxed when I needed to box. I felt I put on a great show for the fans. I want to be star in boxing. I know with hard work I can accomplish anything.

“Hernandez is tough, I sent him with everything and he stood tall and my hats off to him. He’s a tough competitor.”

埃尔南德斯, 从凤凰城, 亚利桑那州。, suffered a cut under his left eye in the third and it caused him problems throughout the fight, opening up and bleeding over the final two rounds.

“All respect to Caleb Plant on his performance tonight,”埃尔南德斯说. “He put on a solid fight and he’s got a great future. I was happy I was able to stay in there and last the entire 10 发.

“I felt Caleb won, but I don’t think it was 10 rounds to none. But that’s not for me to decide. It’s all up to the judges at the end of the day it only matters what they think.”

Plant added: “I’m ready to step up in competition and fight anybody in the top 10 of the super middleweight division. I got my eye on Benavidez and all the other world champions. 我来了!”

周五 tripleheader will replay on Sunday, 七. 10, 在 9 A.M. AND/PT, 和 星期一, 七. 11, 在 10 P.M. AND/PT在Showtime极端，将可在SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^® 和SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®.

Barry Tompkins called the action from ringside with Bernstein and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. 执行制片人戈登·霍尔与理查德·高根生产和里克·菲利普斯导演.

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