By Rick Reeno

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas - In a crossroads super middleweight contest, former WBC 154-pound champion Sergio Mora (29-5-2, 9 KOs) won an eight round split decision over Alfredo Angulo (24-7, 20 KOs). The scores were 77-75 for Angulo78-74 for Mora and 78-74 for Mora.

Mora has been out of the ring since dropping back to back fights, both by stoppage, at the hands of Daniel Jacobs. In the rematch, and Mora's last ring appearance prior to tonight, he was stopped by Jacobs in the seventh round in September 2016.

Angulo who coming into this contest had lost four of his last six fights, has been out of the ring since losing an upset decision to Freddy Hernandez in August 2016. 

Mora came out on his toes, as Angulo was plodding forward and looking to get close enough to connect. Mora's faster hands were getting off with solid punches, but nothing that seemed to bother Angulo much. Angulo was attempting to slow Mora down with hooks to the body, but Mora's left hand was connecting often. 

In the second round, Mora's punches with connecting with more force and he stunned Angulo a few times momentarily.  As they came out for the third, Angulo began to apply more pressure and was looking to land big shots as Mora was moving, slipping punches and landing counters. By the end of the third, Mora appeared to be tiring.

During the fourth, the contest was becoming a little bit closer as Angulo was starting to connect more often and Mora continued to tire. Angulo continued to apply a lot of pressure in the fifth round. Mora did his best to slow down the pace and make it more of a boxing match, as Angulo was looking for a toe to toe fight..

Mora let his hands go at the start of the sixth and was scoring with a very fast flurries, and then stepping away before Angulo was able to counter. Angulo chased for the better part of the round, but was able to get him to trade a bit before the bell.

During the seventh, Mora - who found a second wind - was willing to exchange on the inside with Angulo, who was simply too slow with his punches. In the eight and final round, Mora stuck to the plan - moving and landing the more accurate shots. Angulo was trying to land a big home run. Mora, who took a few good punches in the final three minutes, has a solid chin and was able to withstand anything that landed flush.