Former champion Pedraza dominates LesPierre

Former two-time world champion Jose Pedraza (27-3) was in excellent form on Thursday as he dominated Mikkel LesPierre, dropping his opponent twice in the 144-pound catchweight bout in the main event of a Top Rank card in Las Vegas.

The scorecards read 100-88, 99-89 and 99-89 in favor of Pedraza, who showed that he still has a chance to be a title contender.

There was some controversy in the fifth round as LesPierre sent Pedraza to the canvas with a straight left to the body. Later on in the round, Pedraza evened things up by scoring his own knockdown with a left hook, right hook combination.

But before the sixth round started, referee Kenny Bayless paused the action to check the replay in accordance with the Nevada State Athletic Commission rules, and decided that LesPierre had tangled his feet with Pedraza, and overturned his original ruling.

But that moment was simply academic because Pedraza was the dominant force throughout the fight. Boxing out of both the right handed and southpaw stance, he darted in and out, while throwing slashing punches that came from all directions. His upper body movement made him an elusive target for LesPierre.

LesPierre, who worked at Mount Sinai hospital in New York throughout the coronavirus pandemic, fell to 22-2-1. The 35-year-old had his moments, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Pedraza’s speed and power.