Boxing
I scored the first Alexis Rocha vs. Raul Curiel fight, but did I get the same result as the judges?
Rocha vs Curiel II: Subscribe to watch - Friday
13 months on from the first fight, Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will meet once more in an attempt to settle the score in their rivalry.
The welterweight encounter, which took place in Ontario, California, was declared a majority draw with two judges scoring the fight 114-114, and the other giving the win to Rocha with a 116-112 card.
In a fight which, by those in attendance, was seen as a very close affair, it is only right Rocha and Curiel run it back for a second time.
But was the right decision made in the first fight? DAZN News' Matt Astbury watched the first fight and scored each of the 12 rounds.
Round 1
No surprises here, it was cagey. Rocha and Curiel were throwing probing jabs in an attempt to lure one another into traps and gain an early foothold.
Neither man took the bait, but Curiel just about nicked it for me with a successful left hand.
10-9 Curiel
Round 2
Curiel seized the initiative in this session, breaking through Rocha's guard with a right-left combination, an effective strategy against a southpaw.
This gave the Mexican confidence as with approximately one minute remaining in the round, he produced a powerful three punch combination which saw Rocha backed up to the ropes and in a spot of bother.
10-9 Curiel
Round 3
The end of round two served as a wake up call for Rocha, who for the first time in the fight, was showing some urgency.
Unfortunately for him, Curiel got this session in the bag with a number of left-right combinations in the latter stages.
10-9 Curiel
Round 4
At this point in the contest, DAZN boxing analyst Chris Mannix had Rocha winning the fight by one round, which disagreed with my scorecard.
In my opinion, this was the first round of the contest, which Rocha won with an eye-catching high-to-low combination being the highlight.
10-9 Rocha
Round 5
This round marked the start of a lull period.
Very little of note happened, but Rocha's ability to showcase his boxing skills whilst Curiel struggled to do anything of note made it an easy one to score.
10-9 Rocha
Round 6
Rocha was on the ascendancy, and a successful right hand was the only highlight against a frustrated Curiel.
10-9 Rocha
Round 7
After a period of Rocha dominance, Curiel looked to regain control.
The Mexican started to let his hands go a bit more and was rewarded with a successful right uppercut when the fighters were in close centre ring.
10-9 Curiel
Round 8
As the contest edged towards the championship rounds, both Rocha and Curiel were aware of the fight hanging in the balance.
While punches were being thrown, many were missing or hitting gloves. However, Curiel enjoyed some success in the latter stages with some successful left and right hands.
10-9 Curiel
Round 9
Rocha was someone who built a reputation for being an entertaining fighter, and finally, after nine rounds, he lived up to that billing.
As Curiel increased the intensity with the left hand proving effective, Rocha was responding with his own punches and these were the first signs that the contest was heading towards an exciting climax.
However, Curiel was still winning rounds and Rocha needed to wrestle back momentum.
10-9 Curiel
Round 10
With DAZN's Chris Mannix having Rocha ever so slightly edging it 86-85, it was still all to play for.
Both men went toe-to-toe, swings aplenty, with Rocha landing two strong left hands, which stunned Curiel.
10-9 Rocha
Round 11
The intensity decreased in the penultimate round after a firefight in the tenth, and it was clear that Rocha and Curiel were saving their best till last.
Another Rocha left sealed him the session ahead of a crucial final round.
10-9 Rocha
Round 12
As the bell rang, Rocha and Curiel charged to the centre of the ring, and unloaded.
Punches were flying, and numerous times, both men found their heads being rocked back as the crowd cheered the fighters on to a finish.
This particular round proved a difficult one to score due to chaos and success both men were having, but in the end, Rocha edged it.
10-9 Rocha
Rocha vs. Curiel I: Final score and verdict
Just like two of the judges, I scored the fight a 114-114 draw.
The constant swings in momentum made each of the 12 rounds difficult to score, but at the start, it looked like Curiel would dominate.
His decision to try and seize the initiative while landing a number of successful punches in the early rounds saw him shellshock Rocha, who struggled to throw anything in reply.
Rocha did take advantage of a quieter period in the middle stages, using his footwork to put Curiel in awkward situations and land meaningful shots of his own. As a result, Curiel's lead on my card was slowly being eaten away and therefore setting up an intriguing finale.
The final rounds were a firefight with both men trading blows. Rocha had been drawn into going toe-to-toe and thrived, his left hand was proving effective and was frequently finding his opponent's head.
This contest has set up an exciting rematch, and following the draw, I would not be surprised if it forces either Rocha or Curiel to be dangerous and attempt to produce a more entertaining performance in the hope of catching the eyes of those scoring ringside, or even finish the fight early.
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