Fight:1530620
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Eugene Soto 164 lbs beat Maurice Williams 164 lbs by MD in round 4 of 4
- Date: 2010-08-28
- Location: Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
- Referee: Albert Earl Brown
- Judge: Tony Perez 38-36
- Judge: Barbara Perez 38-37
- Judge: Emil Conforti 37-37
In the opening bout of a six fight card at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City by Spartan Fight Promotions, the card had a shocking start. Unbeaten Spartan Super Middleweight Eugene Soto of Atlantic City got decked early in the first by an overhand right hand thrown by 1-5 Maurice Williams of Camden, New Jersey. Soto got up, then fell to the canvas after another right hand thrown by Williams, which got counted as a second knockdown, but which appeared to be more of a slip (as Soto was moving backward, lost his balance and fell). Williams, 39, returning to the ring after three years inactivity, appeared to have almost completely punched himself out by this time, and allowed Soto to get back into the fight, thus making the bout interesting. With trainer Abdur Rahim Muhammad shouting to Soto to regain his composure and 'go back to work', Soto began landing right left combinations to the head of Williams. Soto continued landing head combinations on Williams in the second, backing him up and trapping Williams on the ropes where he then tried unsuccessfully to counter. Soto continued boxing patiently in the third and fourth rounds, landing right left jab combinations which scored repeatedly and had Williams hanging on or running away. Given the 10-7 round in the first for Williams, the bout would be a draw as Soto won rounds 2, 3, and 4 by 10-9 margins. However Soto clearly won the second half of round one, which could have made the round 10-8. Williams also did nothing in rounds 2, 3, and 4, and showboated in the fourth round, throwing the draw away by perhaps turning that round into a 10-8 instead of a 10-9. Two of the three judges gave the bout to Soto by one point, resulting in a majority decision. Soto appeared to have entered the ring nervous amidst the excitment of the opening bout but ultimately demonstrated superior boxing skill. All in all, a great comeback. While the fighters waited for the decision, in a first for ring events in an Atlantic City, a ring girl entered the ring flashing a card for 'round five', confusing the fighters and the crowd waiting for the four round decision. "I won this fight!" screamed Williams inside the ring in disagreement after the decision was announced.