Robert Garcia (34-3, 22 KOs) won a split decision over Norberto Gonzalez (20-3, 13 KOs) in the main event of the February 7, 2014 edition of Friday Night Fights. The ten-round middleweight bout was part of televised card presented by Iron Mike Promotions and ESPN.
Gonzalez started the bout by establishing the jab and using lateral movement. Garcia did his best to walk Gonzalez down but, aside from hurting Gonzalez with a hook at the end of the first round, he had little success.
By the fourth round, however, Gonzalez had clearly slowed down and became an easier target to hit. Garcia landed two solid left hooks and, later in the round, landed a right that hurt Gonzalez.
Garcia was deducted a point in the eighth round after pushing Gonzalez with his neck several times. However, he was already winning the fight by then. Garcia landed the harder punches and seemed to hurt Gonzalez every time he was able to land clean shot.
By the final round, Garcia’s corner was asking him for a knockout, perhaps assuming the point deduction would make a difference in the judge’s scorecards.
Indeed, Garcia was given a split decision instead of the unanimous one he earned, with the judges scoring 96-93 and 95-94 for him, and 96-93 for Gonzalez.
Gonzalez’s movement and chin allowed him to finish the fight on his feet, but Garcia was the clear winner.
Undefeated Polish featherweight Kamil Laszczyk (16-0, 7KOs) won a unanimous decision over Daniel Diaz (20-6, 15 KOs).
Laszczyk scored a knockdown in the first round via a solid right that he landed after he countered one of Diaz’s.
Diaz did not use his reach advantage when fighting his much shorter opponent. His come-forward style put him in position to stifle his own offense, while leaving himself open for Laszczyk’s counter punching.
Indeed, Laszczyk’s counter punching and timing allowed him to outpoint Diaz for most of eight rounds. Laszyzk was hurt by two right hands in the seventh, when Diaz managed to briefly use his length to let his punches go.
Laszczyk tied Diaz up, returned to his game plan, and earned a unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 79-72,79-72,78-73.
