Photo by AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
After a controversial first encounter, Rances Barthelemy (20-0, 12 KOs) was given a second opportunity to easily outpoint Argenis Mendez (21-3-1, 11 KOs) to win the IBF Junior Lightweight title at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
The bout was the main event of a card presented by Iron Mike Productions and Fox Sports.
Taking off exactly where he left off in their first bout, the 28-year-old Cuban landed a flurry early after stunning Mendez with a right hand.
Most of the punches landed on Mendez’s gloves, but it was clear early that he did not respect Mendez’s power.
As the early rounds progressed, Mendez seemed to get acclimated to Barthelemy’s size and reach advantage, but he never felt comfortable enough to take bigger risks.
Barthelemy’s use of distance made it very hard for him to close the distance comfortably.
In the third round, Mendez was given a chance to work on the inside as Barthelemy closed the distance.
However, Barthelemy never took advantage of the situation, allowing his longer-armed opponent to land shorter and crisper punches on the inside.
Mendez did better in the seventh round, but was hit with low blows in rounds nine and ten—both of which caused Barthelemy to be deducted a point.
In the final two rounds, both fighters finally began exchanging powerfully, with Mendez getting the better of the exchanges in round 11 and Barthelemy getting the better of the exchanges in round 12.
All judges scored the bout 115-111 for Barthelemy, who finally earns the title win he was controversially deprived of in his first attempt, while Mendez, who is 28 years old, is no longer the only Domincan world champion.
In the co-main event, Cuban Light Heavyweight Umberto Savigne (13-1, 10 KOs) knocked out former IBF Super Middleweight champion Jeff Lacy (26-5, 18 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled 10-round fight.
The 35-year-old walked through Lacy with ease to retain his WBC Fecarbox Light Heavyweight title.
In the first round, Umberto hit Lacy with a powerful right hand in the back of the head, which Lacy immediately protested.
However, in his complaints, Lacy failed to protect himself and was hit with another two overhand rights before hitting the canvas.
In the second round, Lacy was hit with several right hands before eventually being stopped by powerful flurry in the corner.
Lacy, who has now lost four of his last six fights, may have just finished the last fight of his career.
At the age of 37-years-old, the St. Petersburg, Florida native’s best days in the ring are long behind him.
In the first televised bout, Erickson Lubin (5-0, 5 KOs) scored an easy eight-round decision victory over Noe Bolanos (25-9-1, 16 KOs) in a Welterweight fight.
Lubin, an 18-year-old prospect who eschewed his 2016 Olympic dreams for a professional career, worked calmly from his southpaw stance throughout the fight.
Lubin used a long jab to land powerful combinations with ease on an iron-chinned Bolanos, who had no answers for Lubin’s speed and use of distance.
All judges scored the bout 80-72 for Orlando, Florida native.
