By: Sean Crose
Anthony “Pretty Boy” Taylor brought his 0-1 record to the ring in Cleveland on Sunday night to kick off the Jake Paul – Tyron Woodley PPV card against the 6-0 Tommy Fury. The bout was a scheduled four round affair at a 180 lb catchweight. From the opening bell, it was clear Fury had a huge height advantage on his man, a height advantage he put to good use. Taylor, for his own part, fought back bravely. Taylor tried holding in the second, but the significantly larger Fury began doing considerable damage. Fury was unable to put his man down and out in the third. The same went for the fourth. After an unsatisfying battle, Fury was awarded a UD win.
Next up, the 15-0-1 Montana Love faced off against the 20-2-1 Ivan Baranchyk in a scheduled 10 round super lightweight affair. Love boxed well in the first while Baranchyk pursued his man. Love had an excellent second, outmaneuvering and outlanding the former titlist Baranchyk. The third was a wild affair. Baranchyk hurt his man badly, but at the final second of the chapter, Love nearly put Baranchyk down. Love rocked his man again at the end of the fourth, though the round was close.
The fifth was explosive. Love landed with brutal precision, yet in the round’s closing seconds, it was Love who got rocked. The sixth saw Baranchyk unable to make anything truly spectacular happen. The end of the seventh saw love put his opponent down hard. Baranchyk got up, but he was clearly in trouble. Baranchyk’s corner wisely stopped the fight in between rounds.
The 16-1 heavyweight Daniel Dubois was up next, facing the 19-3 Joe Cusumano in a scheduled 10 rounder. Cusumano swung hard at his man, but was no match for Dubois, who knocked him down not once, not twice, but three times before a first round stoppage.
It was time for the co-main event. The 40-1-1 Amanda Serrano put her WBC and WBO female featherweight titles on the line against the 18-2 Yamileth Mercado in a scheduled 10 rounder. The seven division champ Serrano took a few good shots, but also took the first simply by being the sharper of the two fighters. The battle remained fast paced in the second. Serrano put her punches together well in the third. In the fourth it was obvious that Serrano was clearly the more skilled of the two combatants.
Controlling the tempo, Serrano assaulted Mercado’s body in the fifth. Mercado looked like she was starting to break down in the sixth. Yet Mercardo landed hard and effectively in the seventh. Serrano may have been winning the fight handily, but Mercardo gave it her all in the eighth. Serrano began to truly beat on the challenger in the ninth. The final round saw Serrano beat Mercardo from pillar to post. Mercardo, bloodied and beaten, kept coming forward, trying until the final bell to win. Impressive stuff.
Needless to say, Serrano walked out with a well deserved UD victory.
