The judges’ scores:
The fight carried tension before it ever reached the ring. Coe arrived at the weigh-in more than seven pounds over the light heavyweight limit, forfeiting part of his purse and igniting a heated exchange that nearly turned physical. Hart, the veteran returning from a layoff, accepted the fight anyway and entered the ring at a distinct size disadvantage.
Once the bell rang, Hart’s experience showed early. He was the busier fighter through the opening rounds, landing cleaner right hands and forcing exchanges while Coe boxed cautiously. Despite the weight advantage, Coe remained tentative and struggled to impose himself, allowing Hart to dictate the pace.
That pattern largely held through the middle rounds. Hart continued to work Coe out, even as fatigue became more apparent. There were moments where Hart looked open and slowed, but Coe couldn’t take advantage. Rather than push, he circled, waited, and let rounds slip without making a clear claim.
The later rounds followed a similar script. Hart remained active, landing the more eye-popping shots and closing exchanges with meaning. Coe, who needed urgency, remained passive, especially at the time. The final round offered little separation and no decisive pressure from the younger fighter.
When the scores in Coe’s favor were announced, the reaction was immediate and skeptical. Hart seemed to do enough through activity, clean striking and ring control to earn the decision, even in an ugly and uneven fight.
Coe leaves with a win on his record, but the performance did little to justify the result. Hart, despite the loss on paper, looked like the fighter who understood and carried out the assignment. On a night that started with controversy, the ending only added to it.
