Filipino Reymart Gaballo claimed a hotly-disputed split decision victory over former world champion Emmanuel Rodriguez to seize the vacant WBC interim bantamweight title at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Saturday night.
Puerto Rican Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs) appeared to land the more precise blows and control the flow of the contest but two judges favoured the aggression of Gaballo. Former IBF champion Rodriguez wobbled Gaballo on several occasions but his efforts were to no avail.
Judges Don Trella (116-112) and John McKaie (115-113) controversially scored the bout for Gaballo whilst David Sutherland favoured Rodriguez with a 118-110 card.
Photo: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.
Yet the Filipino believed it was a close fight that could have gone either away.
“I am very happy and blessed to win this belt,” said Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs). “I was always moving forward and controlling the pace, so I thought it was a close fight that either of us could have won. I’m waiting for my team to tell me what they have planned for me next. I’m going to keep training hard so I’m always ready for the opportunity when it comes.
“I’m going to go back to the Philippines and spend time with my family. I’ve been in Miami training for eight months, so I’m excited to go home.”
A crestfallen Rodriguez considered himself to be the moral victor, and most observers agreed, but that was of scant consolation.
“It was a good fight, but he only won about two or three rounds,” said Rodriguez. “There were two punches from me for every punch he landed. He knows he lost. Everyone knows we won. My team told me to go out and keep boxing him in the late rounds. We knew he needed a knockout in the twelfth round. That was his only chance to win.”
Photo: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.
Showtime’s unofficial scorer Steve Farhood scored the fight 118-110 in favour of Rodriguez whilst the TV network’s analyst and former world champion Raul Marquez expressed his dismay at the decision.
“There’s no way Gaballo could have won that fight,” said Marquez. “In the worst-case scenario, you could have maybe given him three rounds. I gave him no rounds.”
In the co-main event, Philadelphia’s highly touted Jaron Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs & 1 NC) saw his impressive 16-fight knockout streak come to a close after an accidental headbutt in the first round caused a nasty cut to the forehead of South African opponent Chris van Heerden (28-2-1, 12 KOs & 1 NC). The bout was duly ruled a No Contest.
Photo: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.
“Before the headbutt I had already cut him and I felt strong,” said a deflated Ennis. “I knew he was ready to go. I feel like I’m getting better and better. Now I’ll just get back in the gym. As you could see from the first round, I was handling him easily. I feel like everyone is still sleeping on me, but I’m ready for anyone. Bring on the big names.”
Photo: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.
In other action, bantamweight contender Gary Antonio Russell (18-0, 12 KOs), brother of WBC featherweight king Gary Russell Jr, scored a technical decision victory over former world champion Juan Carlos Payano (21-5, 9 KOs).
After an accidental head collision caused a bad cut to the left brow of Payano, referee David Fields stopped the fight after the sixth round on the advice of the ringside physician. The bout went to the scorecards early where Russell held the edge 59-55 (twice) and 58-56.
Main image and all photos: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.