Oscar Duarte did just enough to get past Angel Fierro, but it took all twelve rounds and a split decision to separate them in a hard-fought battle at super-lightweight. Fighting on the David Benavidez vs. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez undercard at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Duarte (31-2-1, 23 KOs) earned the nod on two cards, 115-113 and 116-112, while one judge had it 116-2124 for Fierro-8,-1.
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Duarte’s edge came from the more damaging stretches, especially in the middle rounds when he was able to back Fierro off and let his hands go in bursts. A flashpoint came in the fourth, when Duarte dropped Fierro after the bell in a sequence that added to the tension of the fight, and he followed it up with a strong fifth round that left Fierro unstuck. Those moments gave Duarte the kind of separation that mattered when the scorecards were read.
Fierro didn’t go away and had his own success, especially when he was able to push Duarte back and force exchanges at a higher pace. He threw enough and landed enough to make several rounds difficult to score, which was reflected in the split decision. However, Duarte remained calm and picked his spots more effectively over the back half of the fight.
Angel looked like a different animal tonight. Coming in 3.4 pounds over the limit is no small feat at 140 pounds, and by the time they stepped into the ring, he clearly had the frame of a much bigger man. You could see it in those exchanges where he was able to bully Duarte in the ropes and just outmuscle him in the clinches.
The result keeps Duarte in the mix at 140 pounds after missing out on a title opportunity against IBF champion Richardson Hitchins earlier this year. It wasn’t a dominant performance, but he got the rounds he needed against a tough opponent who made him work for every minute.
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Last updated on 2026/05/02 at 23:21
