OSCAR DUARTE EDGES ANGEL FIERRO IN BLOODY SPLIT DECISION, CROWD BOOS VERDICT

Photo: Golden Boy Promotions / Cris Esqueda

Mexican contenders Oscar “La Migraña” Duarte and Angel “Tashiro” Fierro delivered exactly what was expected Saturday night, a rough, back-and-forth fight that left the crowd split and the scorecards even more so.

Duarte(31-2-1, 23 KOs) edged Fierro by split decision, 115-113 and 116-112 twice, while one judge saw it 116-112 for Fierro. The verdict at T-Mobile Arena was met with loud boos, even as Duarte walked away with the NABO and WBC silver super lightweight titles.

The fight never found a smooth rhythm. Fierro (23-5-2, 8 KOs) , who missed weight by more than three pounds Friday, came in physically bigger and fought like it, pressing forward and forcing Duarte into uncomfortable exchanges early. Duarte still found moments, including a left hook in the fourth round that dropped Fierro, though it came after the bell and resulted in no penalty as the referee lost balance in the sequence.

Fierro’s pressure only built from there.

By the seventh, he was landing clean right hands and letting them go with confidence, targeting Duarte’s head and wearing him down. The damage became visible when Duarte began bleeding from the ear, a troubling sign as Fierro continued to connect with chopping shots.

From the stands, the tension spilled over.

“Levanta las manos, vas a perder, pendejo,” rang out toward Duarte as frustration grew over his lack of movement. The crowd’s reaction only intensified when the final scores were read.

“I deserve these belts, I made the weight,” Duarte said after the fight, speaking through the boos.

Online, the narrative shifted just as quickly. The idea that Duarte had intimidated Richardson Hitchins out of their previously scheduled fight faded as fans questioned how Duarte would have handled a sharper, more precise opponent. Hitchins himself added fuel, writing on social media that Duarte “had no reason” for the withdrawal claims and that his volume would not have been enough.

Despite the criticism, Duarte closed his night thanking promoter Oscar De La Hoya for delivering on his promises.

The result moves Duarte forward in the division, but the performance left more questions than answers.

- Liliana Ulloa