Henry Lebron outlasts Christopher Diaz in 10-round battle

A battle of Puerto Rican junior lightweights saw Henry Lebron outlast Christopher ‘Pitufo’ Diaz in a 10-round co-feature at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

The scores were 97-93, 97-93, and 96-94, all for Lebron.

In the first round, Diaz pushed forward while Lebron patiently set up feints to land counters. It was a tactical round, with both fighters showing each other respect early on. Nothing significant happened, but it set the stage for the drama of the later rounds. Diaz closed the gap in the second round, and Lebron landed the first meaningful punch of the fight, sending the Puerto Rican crowd into a frenzy. Lebron, 27, stayed tactical, using his distance staying outside and clearly outworking Diaz. Diaz’s first meaningful shot came toward the end of the round with a left hook to the body.

In the third, Diaz landed a hard right hand, but Lebron answered with three punches of his own as the fight picked up. At the end of the round, Diaz, 30, acknowledged Lebron, as if to signal the fight was on, and Lebron, stoically, seemed to agree. Diaz continued to cut off the ring in the fourth round, but Lebron’s hand speed kept him from landing or throwing consistently. Both men landed solid shots, but neither took control after four rounds, as tension remained high.

Lebron’s elusiveness in the fifth round kept Diaz from cornering him, using every inch of the ring and making Diaz miss. After his best round of the fight, Lebron nodded at Diaz, showing some gamesmanship. By the sixth, Lebron had gained full control, with Diaz coming forward but unable to dictate the pace. Just as it seemed Diaz was out of the fight, he landed the best flurry of punches of the night, briefly putting Lebron on the ropes.

In the seventh, Lebron once again showcased his fast feet and hands, while Diaz pressed forward, cutting off the ring and targeting Lebron’s body. Lebron didn’t move as much as he had in earlier rounds. Round eight saw an even round, as Lebron appeared to take a breather, perhaps saving himself for the final two rounds. Diaz landed a big right hand with seconds left in the round, and moments later, the two clashed heads, opening a cut above Lebron’s left eye. The bleeding persisted into the ninth round as Lebron emerged from his corner. Diaz grew more aggressive, attempting to provoke Lebron into a trade, but Lebron remained elusive. A wild right hand from Diaz, Lebron countered with a flurry of punches while Diaz continued to press the action without using a jab.

In the final round, with many assuming Diaz was down on the cards, he pushed forward, landing a clean right hand that audibly struck Lebron’s head. Lebron, bruised and tired, remained tricky, with Diaz chasing him around the ring in search of a knockout. After Lebron landed a straight left from the southpaw position, neither fighter landed anything significant as the round came to a close with Lebron letting out a “woo” before the bell.

Lebron snapped a 13-month layoff with the win, improving to 20-0 (10 KOs), while Diaz drops to 29-5 (19 KOs), ending his three-fight knockout streak.