Former IBF Super Featherweight champion Argenis Mendez (24-5-1, 12 KOs) did enough in the eyes of the judges to earn a split decision (96-93, 95-94, 94-95) nod over Ivan Redkach (20-3-1, 16 KOs) in the main event of a Junior Welterweight contest on Toe-To-Toe Tuesday’s PBC on FS1 on Tuesday night.
In a fight that seemed closer on the scorecards than what transpired in the ring, Mendez showed his veteran boxing skills and for sure seemed to be destined to win after the 10th bell was rung.
Keeping his distance from Redkach from the beginning, Mendez showed solid precision in his punches continually landing on Redkach with supreme accuracy.
Redkach, who coming into the fight was ranked the No. 3 contender by the WBA, was deducted a point by referee Raul Caiz Jr. in the third round. This was somewhat of a controversial call as Redkach wasn’t warned in the first two rounds for headbutts.
That point seemed to hinder in the back of Redkach’s mind as he was beat to the punch by a very determined Mendez in the middle rounds and was lost in his gameplan. The biggest moment in the fight came in Round 6, as Redkach caught Mendez with his hands down and landed a straight left that sent Mendez down to the canvas, but was strangely not ruled a knockdown by Caiz Jr.
Redkach tried his best to make it a brawl, but couldn’t explode his combinations as much as he wanted to.
Mendez, who looked in his comfort zone in the late rounds, showed his veteran boxing IQ and hurt Redkach badly in the 10th and final round with an overhand right, but Redkach was able to hang on and finish out the round to the final bell.
Mendez earned the split-decision victory, but as close the judges had this fight, it could have been a much different story if a questionable call went Redkach’s way.
