Padraig ‘The Hammer’ McCrory outpointed Leonard Carrillo over 10 rounds at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Friday night.
The local didn’t have it all their own way at their big ProBox TV event, however.
The 36-year-old Irishman, in his first fight back since a sixth-round knockout to Edgar Berlanga Jr in Orlando in February, was looking for a statement win, but instead found a stubborn and tough opponent hanging on. with him all night.
Referee Hugh Russell Jr. He scored a 98-91 belt as a sole judge. Many onlookers saw a very close battle.
The battle situation is set in the first round. McCrory (19-1, 9 knockouts) timed Carrillo’s (17-6, 16 KOs) left hand and connected with a counter left hook. Carrillo hit the deck and for a moment it looked like McCrory might be headed for the shower early.
But Carrillo wasn’t having it. With 20 seconds left in the round, the 35-year-old Colombian landed a big left hand that rocked McCrory. He continued to beat her until the bell rang.
The local favorite returned to his corner with loose legs and spent much of the second frame recovering.
McCrory, 171½ lbs, worked his way back into the fight in the third and fourth rounds, landing sharp blows while being wary of Carrillo’s wide, bombastic jab. The visitor received a stern warning from referee Hugh Russell Jr for a series of three rabbit punches during the meal.
In the middle of the rounds Carillo spent most of his time showing boat, trying to slow McCrory down to trade, a tactic that rarely worked. When Carrillo let his hands go, he had some success and McCrory was clearly uncomfortable being on the wrong end of his power punches.
The rear part of the battle changed into a regular pattern. McCrory would use his superior boxing skills to land an accurate shot on the outside, before Carrillo, 170½ lbs, landed a solid left hand late in the frame but ran out of time to use it.
Carrillo found himself on the canvas in the seventh, but it was ruled a slip. It was one of his best rounds of the fight and in the eighth, he cut McCrory over the left eye with a punch. McCrory got off to a good start in the ninth, firing sharp shots, but found himself on the ropes late in the round as Carrillo hit him hard with a left until the bell rang.
Buoyed by this success, Carrillo kept it going at 10, walking McCrory down and trying to hold him against the ropes again. McCrory, clearly tired, did his best to stay out of harm’s way and ended the fight on his feet.
It looked like a close fight, but the referee and one judge refused, awarding McCrory eight rounds out of ten.
In the main event, Robbie Davis Jr (24-5, 15 KOs) survived a last-round knockout of Javier Fortuna (38-5-1, 27 KOs) by one point.
The 10-round bout was a torrid affair with plenty of grappling and near collapses, but it was England’s Davies Jr, 36, who got the better of the exchanges, landing several clean shots.
The 35-year-old Dominican Fortuna, who had his first fight in over a year, struggled during his time but had success in the match. In the final round, Fortuna hurt Davies Jr with a left uppercut before throwing him to the canvas. Enough to make the fight close, but not close enough to win.
Referee and single judge Sean McAvoy awarded Davies Jr 95-94.
Australian-based boxing journalist Anthony Cocks has been covering the sport for over 20 years in various publications and online.
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