By Keith Idec
Jarrett Hurd got the knockdown he needed to beat Erislandly Lara with just 37 seconds left in their highly competitive 154-pound title unification fight Saturday night in Las Vegas.
That knockdown gave Hurd a 114-113 edge on the scorecards of judges Glenn Feldman and Dave Morretti and a split-decision victory over the skillful Cuban southpaw. Judge Burt Clements scored the 12-round fight for Lara, 114-113.
The bout would’ve resulted in a majority draw had Hurd’s left hook not dropped Lara late in the 12th round.
The bigger, stronger Hurd’s constant pressure, perhaps combined with the 34-year-old Lara’s age, made Lara fight different than he usually does throughout their bout. They often fought from the inside and Lara moved less than he normally does, but the 5-feet-9 Lara landed regularly with his left hand as the 6-feet-1 Hurd moved forward.
Ultimately, though, two of the three judges favored Hurd’s aggression and work inside against Lara, who suffered swelling and a cut around his right eye.
Hurd (22-0, 15 KOs) won the WBA and IBO super welterweight championships from Lara (25-3-2, 14 KOs) and retained his IBF junior middleweight title in a fight Showtime televised from The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
