By kidsPorts
The WBO 130-lb title fight between Puerto Rican Roman ?Rocky? Martinez and Mexican Miguel Beltran was the better matched and the more exciting title fight tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The give and take and constantly tide changing fight had fans at the edge of their seats in practically every moment of each round. Both fighters proved their worth to vie for the vacant WBO super-featherweight championship. Fights, such as the one put up by Roman and Miguel, entertain fans and give a shot in the arm of the sport of boxing.
When the contestants put up an evenly close fight, the outcome could be decided by who gets a point deduction for a rule infraction. The Martinez-Beltran fight is one of such a fight.
Beltran was hitting Martinez with rabbit punches. A rabbit punch is one landed at the back of an opponent?s head and is foul. The referee fairly gave Beltran a clear warning after observing some that another rabbit punch would cost him a point deduction. And the crucial rabbit punch came with a right hand. It was thrown after a right legal punch on the side of Martinez?s left side of the head when the fighters were already in a clinch.
With the two judges scoring the fight 114-113 after 12 rounds in Roman?s favour, Miguel lost what could have been ruled as a majority drawn contest. The WBO title would have remained vacant and in a rematch no one would be in an advantageous position to demand a higher purse over the other.
The costs of breaking the rule against rabbit punching to Miguel Beltran are a mar in his fight record and his being in the position of challenger to a champion who naturally has the better edge in terms of fight purses.
Prize fighters, beware. It always pays to play by the boxing rules.
