It really was a busy night for boxing last night, with multiple shows taking place all over the world. In Puerto Rico, Richardson Hitcheis of Brooklyn took Liam Paro’s IBF 140 pound title, with Hitcheis winning via 12 round split decision. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 for Hitcheis, with the third judge somehow handing in a card that had Australia’s Paro winning via a 117-111 tally.
Hitchins is now 19-0(7), while Paro loses for the first time in going 25-1(15).
It was a good fight last night, with lots of punches thrown. Southpaw Paro got off to a great start, with him appearing to sweep the opening four rounds. Hitchins, ordered by his corner to get going or else, came on strong in the middle rounds and he remained in charge until the end, with maybe one or two rounds close. In round five, both men were bleeding. Hitchen’s jab was a key weapon in the second half of the fight, and Paro was frustrated as he was outlanded and unable to impose himself.
It seemed a clear win for Hitchins. But then came the reading of the score cards. Unfortunately, right now, the big talking point is not the result and the crowing of a new world champion, but of one “unfathomable” piece of judging.
Nelson Vazquez is being widely criticised for the 117-111 card he handed in in favour of Paro.
“117-111 for Paro is an unfathomable scorecard,” DAZN commentator Corey Erdman said.
“Yeah, that was terrible. You’ve got to find that [judge] and fine him because that was terrible,” co-commentator and former champ Sergio Mora said.
“Nelson Vazquez was the judge who submitted the 117-111 scorecard for Paro. That is one of the most egregious scorecards ever submitted,” posted writer Francisco A. Salazar. “In a perfect world, Nelson Vazquez never judges a significant fight until he explains this scorecard.”
While Shakur Stevenson was moved to write the following post: “Bro, whoever scored 117-111 Paro need to never score a boxing match ever again! That was the wildest scorecard I ever seen in my life!”
The right man won in the end, and unfortunately, it’s almost a certainty nothing will be done about Vazquez’ scorecard. We’ve seen too many crazy, disturbing, and controversial scorecards over the years to possibly keep a track of. It seems they will never go away.
Perhaps Vazquez’ 117-111 score for Paro will go right up there in the Hall of Shame with the utterly disgraceful 114-114 card judge C.J. Ross managed to hand in at the end of the Floyd Mayweather-Canelo Alvarez fight.
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