MASSA AND DEMOLEDOR DRAW AFTER A WAR

In a crowded Auditorio Centenario of Gómez Palacio, Durango; Roberto “El Massa” Ortiz and Diego “Demoledor” Cruz fought a fierce draw In a vibrant fight with cards 114-114, 114-114 and 113-113 in a duel with the FECARBOX super lightweight belt on the line.

Taller Diego used his height and reach to land with some sinking and eye watering body shots in the opening round, with Roberto dipping down and finding him with some crisp clipping jabs to the head. Both decided to really fight and test the other in round two, with Roberto picking his punches appreciably better. A right hook to the head rocked Diego, and a follow up left hook also landed square and hard. By the end of the round Diego had collected a nasty crescent shaped cut under his right eye. His corner did an excellent job in controlling and staunching the bleeding while keeping down the swelling, for the rest of the fight.

Roberto hadn`t escaped damage either! By round four, his nose was bleeding, and continued leaking blood from time to time. From the midway point the action slowed in pace and was marred by constant yet not deliberate head clashes. Roberto tends to dip down to avoid hooks and then bring his head up again abruptly. He received an official warning and a single point deduction for this in round eleven.

After the eighth round, two of the three judges had Roberto marginally ahead, but he started to lose energy and tire, which gave younger Diego the last gasp opportunity, to come on stronger in the concluding rounds, to pull back a draw.