In the main event of the February 7, 2018 edition of DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing, Noel Murphy, 139.2 lbs., of Woodlawn, NY, by way of County Cork, Ireland, and Brooklyn’s Mikkel LesPierre, 139.4 lbs., waged a barnburner for 10 thrilling rounds. It became a war of attrition with many ebbs and flows between the two southpaws.
Murphy stormed out of his corner and was the aggressor for the first two frames, focusing a lot of his attack downstairs. In the third, LesPierre stymied that pressure with expert footwork and counter shots.
The middle rounds were close, though LesPierre’s right hooks created a bruise underneath Murphy’s left eye. The sixth featured plenty of exciting exchanges then LesPierre found the proper distance again to land combinations led by his potent uppercuts.
With a sense of urgency, Murphy picked up the pace in the ninth and never let up for the remaining six minutes, attacking the body and continually moving forward. However, he also lost a point in round nine for a rabbit punch, which was the deciding factor in the decision. The judges tallied 97-92, and 95-94 twice, all for LesPierre, now 19-0-1 (8 KOs), who seized the WBC USNBC super lightweight title with the victory.
Murphy is now 12-1 (2 KOs). Without the point deduction, the bout would have been declared a majority draw. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, LesPierre moved to the US at age six and was raised in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. He is trained by Don Saxby out of Gleason’s Gym.
All photos by Marilyn Paulino/RBRBoxing
