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Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas - In a bout for the WBA super featherweight title, Lamont Roach (23-1-1, 9 KOs) became a world champion with a twelve round split decision over Hector Luis Garcia (16-2, 10 KOs), who suffered his second defeat in a row. (photos by Ryan Hafey, Amanda Westcott)
The scores were 114-113 for Roach, 114-113 for Garcia, and 116-111 for Roach.
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The fight started off in a slow technical manner and continued to play out in that manner for several rounds. Roach was coming forward and Garcia was more than willing to work off the backfoot and look for counters.
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In the first half of the contest, it was Roach's cleaner punches that may have given him the edge during several rounds, but the action was close with neither throwing too many punches. Garcia was often digging hard to the body.
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Garcia was countering very well in the seventh round. Roach started the eight with a two-punch combination and continued to box very well to make things close with Garcia, and did the same in the ninth. Roach was doing well with his own counters during the tenth. He rocked Garcia during the eleventh and began to pepper him with shots against the ropes.
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In the twelfth and final round, Garcia came out firing punches. But then Roach landed a solid left hook to drop Garcia on the deck. Garcia wasn't that hurt, but he was unable to close strong.
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