Fight:1528321
Gary Stark Jr 126 lbs beat Leopoldo Arrocha 127 lbs by UD in round 6 of 6
- Date: 2010-08-07
- Location: Aviator Sports Complex, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Referee: Shada Murdaugh
- Judge: Steve Weisfeld 58-55
- Judge: Robert Perez 58-55
- Judge: John McKaie 57-56
Former featherweight contender Gary Stark Jr. made a successful comeback after more than a year out of the ring, but went life and death with Panamanian journeyman Leopoldo Arrocha in an all-offensive war. The bout was not pretty. Stark, now 23-3 with 8 kayos, fought with everything he still had left in the tank, and traded power combinations in center ring with virtually no defense all night with the game Arrocha, who quickly turned the bout dirty and fought a Panamanian style bout (where many fouls are standard and never called). Arrocha resorted to low blows and leaning with his head and head butting all night. Stark wound up in trouble early with a cut off the corner of the right eyebrow from an intentional head butt which did not effect his vision but nonetheless was never penalized. Stark's corner did a good job working the cut, as Arrocha, who knew there was no disqualification in Panama for butting, brought his game to Brooklyn and endeavored to see how long he could get away with it, smiling and taunting Stark, the referee, and the crowd. The exchanges were fast and furious for all six rounds, bringing the cheering crowd to its feet at the nonstop action, despite Arrocha's repeated fouling. In round four, more of the same, with Arrocha adding hitting while holding to his tactics, and pushing Stark to the canvas, finally earning a point deduction from referee Murdaugh for repeated fouling. Stark should have not allowed Arrocha to fight on the inside, but was unable to change tactics, leaving a difficult bout on the table featuring two fighters with similar styles. Arrocha's ugly fouling continued, with the two fighters trading power shot bombs with both hands till the final bell in the sixth, with Stark barely escaping this bout with an oh so close ugly six round majority decision at 58-57, 58-56, and 57-57 draw. Without the point deduction in the fifth, the scores would have been 58-57 Arrocha, 58-57 Stark, 58-58 even, resulting in a draw. The crowd cheered the point deduction and this verdict, considering Arrocha could have been disqualified. Despite fouling tactics, Arrocha, 8-12, 6 kayos, was a far better fighter than his losing record indicated and showed himself to be a seasoned veteran worth booing, who gave the crowd its money's worth.