Chordale Booker barely remained unbeaten Wednesday night.

The junior middleweight prospect built an early lead, survived serious trouble late in the seventh round and beat Sonny Duversonne by split decision in an eight-round junior middleweight match FS1 televised from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Judges Carla Caiz (77-75) and Damian Walton (77-75) each scored five rounds for Booker, but judge Don DeVerges gave Duversonne five rounds.

Booker outlanded Duversonne by one punch, according to unofficial CompuBox statistics (132-of-411 to 131-of-498).

The 29-year-old Booker (16-0, 7 KOs), of Stamford, Connecticut, fought for the first time since May 2019, when he beat Wale Omotoso (28-5, 22 KOs, 1 NC) by unanimous decision in a 10-rounder. He underwent surgery in August 2019 to repair a torn right Achilles tendon.

The 30-year-old Duversonne (11-2-2, 8 KOs), of Avon Park, Florida, lost for the second time in less than four weeks. Before testing Booker, Duversonne dropped an eight-round unanimous decision to unbeaten prospect Lorenzo Simpson (9-0, 5 KOs) on October 9 in Las Vegas.

Booker held a lot during the eighth round, when he clearly was tired and attempting to survive. Duversonne’s right uppercut was the cleanest shot of that round, with about 20 seconds remaining in their fight.

Duversonne belted Booker with a right uppercut and then a right cross that buzzed Booker and made him hold with just over a minute remaining in the seventh round. Booker held, moved and somehow survived Duversonne’s onslaught late in the seventh.

Booker bled from his nose and appeared fatigued by the end of the seventh round.

Duversonne landed multiple right hands around the one-minute mark of the sixth round. Booker backed up Duversonne later in the sixth, but Duversonne definitely landed the harder shots in those three minutes.

Booker threw a lot of head and body shots in the first two minutes of the fifth round, but Duversonne’s counters kept Booker honest. A right hook by Booker stopped Duversonne in his tracks with just over 30 seconds to go in the fifth round.

Booker’s left backed up Duversonne with about 2:10 to go in the fourth round. Duversonne drilled Booker with a right hand that made him move away from Duversonne a few seconds before the fourth round ended.

A chopping left by Booker backed Duversonne into a corner with just under two minutes to go in the third round. Duversonne landed a right hand as Booker backed away from him with 1:20 remaining in the third.

Another right by Duversonne landed with about a minute left in the third round. Booker’s right hook caught Duversonne with just under 40 seconds to go in the third round.

Duversonne responded with a straight right hand that landed immediately after Booker connected with a straight left with about one minute to go in the second round.

Booker landed a straight left about 1:20 into the first round. About 10 seconds later, Duversonne snuck a right hand around Booker’s guard and backed him up.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.