Bilbao Arena, Bilbao, Spain. In the main event of the evening, local WBA Continental light middleweight champion (up to 69.9 kg) slugger Kerman Lejarraga (34-3, 26 KOs) lost to British colleague James Metcalfe (23-2, 14 KOs).
Lejarraga tried to wear down his opponent with ultra-aggressive pressure: he constantly strove to be in front of Metcuff, to drive him to the ropes. It did not turn out very well, since the Briton moved, jabbed, sometimes exploded in series. The Spaniard earned a couple of bruises by the 2nd round and began to increasingly cut through the air with his fists.
At the beginning of the 3rd three-minute period, Leharraga was on his knees. There was a missed blow, but the referee decided that the favorite had slipped – there was no knockdown. The third in the ring was constantly trying to find an excuse to fine the guest.
Things are heating up #LejarragaMetcalf pic.twitter.com/70zv0HBR05
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 20, 2022
The applicant acted more successfully: he failed the Spaniard, successfully defended himself with his body and counterattacked in response, but also earned a cut near his eye. Another problem for Metcalf – the fans – put pressure on the judges, yelling loudly after each Lejarraga hit (even if it’s a jab or casually).
Cool fight. The favorite tried to snatch the last round, but lost without options. Metcuff was clearly better in this fight, but it is far from certain that this will be enough to win on the road against the Spaniard.
Judges score: 97-94, 96-94 and 96-95 in favor of…
Metcalf UD 10. Phew! Thank you for your honesty!
Also, as part of the show, local fighters veteran Angel Moreno (21-5-3, 6 KOs) and prospect Jairo Noriega (12-0, 3 KOs) fought in a full-time fight for the vacant EBU European flyweight title (up to 50.8 kg). Victory expectedly went to Noriega.
Prospect started the fight well. Caught Moreno pushing forward aggressively with a left counter hook and then dropped it. The aggressor got to his feet and began to prove to the referee that he had simply slipped. Norriega rushed to finish off, but the gong sounded – the end of the first round.
Noriega drops Moreno in the FIRST round pic.twitter.com/TyWqPJTk4U
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 20, 2022
The whole fight went in approximately the same vein: Moreno traditionally pumped up, but at the same time acted without imagination, and the bad habit of keeping his hands low ended in a serious number of missed blows, a couple of cuts, another fall – it seemed that he was about to be removed from the fight.
Norriega acted for sure, he liked his good accuracy and accuracy, and in the championship rounds he kicked his foot off the gas pedal – the margin of safety allowed him to do this.
Judges score: 116-110, 118-109 and 118-109.
Noriega UD 12.
