“BONITA” EDGES BARBY IN ELIMINATION THRILLER

Argentinian Daniela Bermudez managed to defeat Mexican Mariana Juarez by unanimous decisión to win the WBC bantamweight eliminator, following a non stop firestorm.
With scorecards of 97-93 twice and 96-94 ‘Bonita’ Bermúdez, who’s nine years the younger gained a hard fought victory against a magnificently defiant Mariana, who walked through a welter of landing straight right hands, to fight back with magnificent, intrepid resolution, much to appreciation of a lively crowd at the Coliseo Arena, in Mexico City.
‘Barby’ started brightly jabbing and double jabbing, lacing it with rapid fire combinations, against a taller and physically more substantial ‘Bonita.’
After 4 rounds, the Mexican was winning on 2 of the 3 scorecards, while the other indicated a so far, so good draw. A significant turning point came in the sixth, as Mariana got tagged with an eye watering right uppercut, snapping back her head. But she replied with a peach of a left hook, only to get stung with a long range right hook.
Both frequently stood their ground, connecting testily…  chin testing.  In the eighth, Bonita briefly clowned, hands down, swaying around, hamming it up  like a drunken sailer. A pointless exercise, and she soon re-focused.

After those eight, Bonita was up on two cards. 77-75 and 78-74, while the other Judge saw it as a 76-76 draw.

Mariana re-energized herself in the last two rounds, throwing more punches. But those replies of her opponent were landing more cleanly, especially another right uppercut in the last seconds.