Lenier Pero beats Jordan Thompson in Orlando

Heavyweight 2016 Olympic and no. 2 WBA contender Lenier 13-0 (8) defeated former IBF EBU Cruiser Champion Jordan Thompson (15-2 (12)) by a 10-round unanimous decision on Saturday night at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

(Credit: Zachariah Delgado Matchroom Boxing Fight)

In the first round, the taller Thompson, nearly 40 pounds heavier than he was in his last fight some two years ago in an IBF cruiserweight world title fight, was stopped. Southpaw Pero was 98-19 in the amateurs.

Pero came forward as Thompson used his jab and took a close round. In the second rounds, halfway through, a left from Pero on the chin drove Thompson several steps into the ropes which is later shown as he stomps on the foot of Thompson.

In the third round’s opening minute, Pero landed a low blow, causing referee Christopher Young to give Thompson a few minutes of rest. In the final minute, Pero landed a shot in the chest of Thompson and took all three rounds.

In the final minute of the fourth round, Thompson stood in a corner as Pero landed left shots to the body and took another round. In the fifth round, Thompson had his best round, starting with a jab and landing lead rights to the body of Pero. In the sixth round, it was another good round for Thompson, very similar to the previous round.

At the midpoint of the seventh round, Thompson was again hit low by Pero and was given a minute’s rest. With less than a minute to go, Pero landed another low punch, causing referee Young to finally take a point. It’s three straight rounds; it appears Thompson took after dropping the first four.

In the eighth round’s second half, both went to the body of each other in one of the better rounds of the fight. Pero seems to be slowing down somewhat. Through 8 rounds, Thompson threw more, but Pero landed more. In the ninth round, with 30 seconds left, Pero rocked Thompson with an overhand left on the chin and almost had him on his feet.

In the tenth and final round, both landed big shots, knowing the fight might be on the line, with Thompson landing more.

The scores were 97-93, 96-93 and 97-93.

Junior middleweight former Cuban amateur champion and WBA Continental Americas champion Yoelvis ‘Lajoya’ Gomez (9-1-1 (7 KOs) retained his title on a 10-round majority draw against Antraveous ‘Yamz’ Ingram (12-0-1 (6 KOs). However, it looked like Gomez won.

In the first round of more than 250 amateur fights, Gomez is the shorter of the two, as local fighter Ingram has plenty of fans rooting for him.

In the first two rounds, the shorter Gomez goes to the body as Ingram uses his reach, landing steps, with Gomez taking both rounds. Midway through the third round, Gomez landed a combination on the chin, which hurt Ingram and left him holding on.

In the fourth round, Ingram came back well as the shorter Gomez seemed to slow him down. In the fifth round’s midpoint, Gomez missed a right hook and fell to the canvas. In the final minute, Gomez hurt Ingram with an overhand left on the chin as he grabbed Gomez.

At the bell he walked to his corner on shaky legs. In the sixth round, again against a southpaw with his hands in front of his face, Ingram cannot handle the power of the shorter Gomez. A right hook from Gomez in the final seconds hurt Ingram.

In the seventh round, Ingram got his second wind and dominated Gomez until the final minute of the round, when Gomez returned to form, landing lefts and overhand lefts to the chin of Ingram. In the eighth round, Ingram came back well in the first minute. Midway Gomez took over and hurt Ingram with shots to the head, followed by punches to the body, with Ingram bleeding from the mouth and nose.

In the ninth round, Ingram was doing well until the final minute when Gomez landed numerous right hooks to the chin. In the tenth and final round, it was Gomez who dominated, with Ingram running around without throwing much, having never fought over six rounds before. Big round for Gomez.

The scores were 96-94 for Gomez, 96-94 for Ingram and 95-95. Again, Gomez looked like a winner, but Ingram landed more punches in the end. Mosaminio Montanini was the referee.

Cruiserweight Olympian Pat Brown (5-0 (5 KOs) knocked out Felix Valera, 24-9 (21 KOs) at 1:34 of the second round of a scheduled 10-rounder, scoring two knockouts.

In the first round, the 37-year-old Valera made his American debut against the 25-year-old Brown, with Brown having a 3″ height advantage. Brown used an effective jab to take the round. At the start of the second round, Valera’s trainer lifted him off the chair, and then the ring doctor checked his forehead.

In the second round, in the first minute, a left hook on the ear of Brown dropped Valera for an 8 count from referee Alicia Collins. Brown came right at him and dropped him again with a left hook to the chin as referee Collins waved it off.

In the co-main event, junior middleweight 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Omari Jones defeated Yusuph ‘Mr. 4-0 (4 KOs). Mwanza’ Metu (12-3 (9 KOs) at 1:31 of the third round of a scheduled six rounds.

In the first round, Jones used his jab for the most part. Halfway through he rocked Metu with a right to the chin. A left hook and right to the chin in the final 30 seconds from Jones, and down went Metu for an 8 count from referee Massimino Montanini.

At the second round’s halfway point, Jones rocked Metu with a right to the chin. In the final minute, Jones landed four rights to the chin of Metu.

In the third round, Jones landed a left hook to the damaged left eye, causing Metu to walk away and drop to the canvas as referee Montani waved it off as he stood up.

Junior middleweight 2024 Olympic southpaw Nishant Dev, 4-0 (2 KOs) dominated a bout Juan Carlos Campos Medina (4-3 (3 KOs) by a six-round unanimous decision.

In the first round, the taller southpaw appeared to have a balance problem as Medina slipped to the canvas twice, with referee Christopher Young calling it a slip, although the second one looked like a punch from Dev to the body might have done it. In the second round, Dev brought blood from the nose of Medina. In the final seconds, Nev rocked Medina with a left to the chin, sending him falling into the arms of Nev.

In the third round, Nev continued to stick out the shorter Medina, whose nose continued to bleed. A right uppercut from Nev was the highlight of the round on the chin of Medina in the final minute.

In the fourth round, Medina would walk Nev to the ropes, but was countered with Medina’s blood, even on the chest of Nev from the face of Medina.

At the fifth round’s halfway point, Medina took Nev to the canvas. Nev continued to go to the body with uppercuts, taking another round. In the sixth and final round, both land southpaws with Medina landing uppercuts to the body and putting his head in the chest of the taller Nev, in his best round, although it may not be his first, he won. His nose stopped bleeding around the corner.

The scores were 60-54, 60-54 and 60-54.

The Ring Announcer was David Diamante.