Fight:1541793
Jorge Diaz 126 lbs beat Emmanuel Lucero 126 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10
- Date: 2010-10-30
- Location: Bally's Atlantic City, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
- Referee: Allen Huggins
- Judge: Steve Weisfeld 96-94
- Judge: Emil Conforti 99-92
- Judge: Donald Givens 99-92
In the main event of a six fight card in the Grand Ballroom of Bally's Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, hosted by Pound For Pound Promotions on Saturday, October 30, 2010, broadcast over the internet on Gofightlive.TV, featherweight Jorge Diaz of New Brunswick, New Jersey, remained undefeated at 15-0, 9 kayos, with a foul-filled ten round decision over veteran Emmanuel Lucero of Mexico City, Mexico, now out of Albany, New York, who fell to 24-6, 14 kayos. The bout, which featured numerous low blows, head butting, shoves to the floor, sitting on the ropes, and other infractions, was a nonstop bout of fouls. According to Sal Alessi, co-manager of Diaz who was in the corner. "We expected a dirty fight! Lucero beat Rogers Mtagwa and fought Manny Pacquiao."
The first round was a cautious feeling out round in center ring. Lucero slipped a lot of left and right jabs thrown by Diaz. Both fighters tried body shots. The round looked to be an even round, though Diaz clearly threw more punches. In the second round, both fighters wrestled in center ring for position. Lucero pounded Diaz on the ropes with body shots. Diaz fought back off the ropes with speed combination flurries, spun off the ropes, and landed a good left to the head of Lucero.
In the third round, both fighters traded power body shots, making loud bangs. Diaz threw bombs to the head and body which landed, but held his left hand dangerously low, and Lucero countered over it. In the fourth round, Lucero attached Diaz, pinning him in a corner and emptying the tank for thirty seconds with everything he could throw. However, he got warned by referee Alan Huggins for hitting behind the head several times. Diaz, in response, was warned for leaning with his head and butting Lucero. Diaz landed some good left-right combinations in center ring. In the fifth round, Diaz landed several overhand rights to Lucero's head, but got warned for low blows several times. Lucero slipped a lot of punches, but missed with haymaker bombs. Diaz tried throwing combinations, but Lucero stayed out of range. In the sixth round, Lucero leaned on the head of Diaz and shoved him to the floor, ruled no knockdown. Lucero landed a low blow again, stopping the action. Lucero continued head butting and got warned again. Lucero pushed Diaz behind the head and shoved him to the canvas again. In the seventh, Lucero was warned for holding, while Diaz landed head combinations. Lucero felt the pressure as he tried to counter. In the eighth round, with Diaz beginning to tired and fade, Lucero came forward and attacked Diaz, who threw many jabs which Lucero slipped. Lucero dropped his hands and taunted Diaz, and then shoved him to the canvas.
The ninth round and tenth rounds were brutal wars. In the ninth round, Diaz and Lucero went toe to toe in corners, waging war nonstop, bringing the crowd to their feet. During one of the exchanges, Lucero shoved Diaz to the canvas. The ringside electronic count reached two before the referee ruled no knockdown. Lucero continued to thrown head and body shots at will on a tiring Diaz to win the round, but did not try to kayo him. Diaz sunk to sit between the ropes twice in the ninth, but no infraction was called. In the tenth round, Diaz, with some facial bruises, was in trouble as Lucero worked him over in corners. Diaz appeared exhausted, with just enough left to spin out of trouble and survive. Again Diaz sat between the ropes during an exchange. Both fighters were in a heated exchange at the final bell. Lucero jumped atop a corner rope and raised his hands in victory, to the boos of the crowd. The bout appeared close. The scoring of one judge, 96-94, appeared to be closest to correct. Diaz clearly won the bout.
According to Lucero's manager Gunther Fishgold, "Every close round went to Diaz. If we were in Albany, I'd say to Lucero finish strong. There's no way we would get a decision here. We're disappointed. Diaz leaned between the ropes and went on his knees many times. However, we (the Lucero corner) congratulate Diaz on a good fight." Fishgold was adamant about Diaz sitting between the ropes. "There should have been a warning and then point deductions. In New York State, sitting between the ropes counts as a knockdown. The three times Diaz sat between the ropes in the last three rounds were not called in New Jersey." Fishgold summed it all up. "One good right hand by Lucero would have knocked Diaz out. Clearly, we did not have the power."
Two fights were scratched from the card. Scheduled heavyweights Amir Mansour and Alexis Mejias, and light heavyweights Bobby Rooney and Tyler Seever. According to event promoter John Lynch, Seevers had an inconclusive cat scan which forced the need for additional tests. The test results did not arrive back at the New Jersey State Athletic Commission in time for the bout to go forward. "I would (still) love to have that fight on the next card, Bobby Rooney and Seever. That's a fight ready to go," noted Lynch. Celebrities at ringside included New York Giants Running back Brandon Jacobs, Beetlejuice from the Howard Stern Show, heavyweight contender Tomas Adamek, middleweight contenders John Duddy and Patrick Majewski, and boxing promoter Russell Peltz.