Vargas Outclasses McDonnell For WBC Title
WBC Super-Bantamweight Title
Matchroom Boxing Promotions, 25th February 2017
Hull Arena Hull, England
McDonnell was the underdog going into this fight, and it showed early on why that was the case as Vargas controlled the first four rounds with ease as he caught McDonnell at will, as well as dodging, counter punching and putting instant pressure on the Englishman from the first bell but then the fight livened up in the fifth round when McDonnell came into the round with a bit more impetus as Dave Coldwell made sure his fighter knew what was at stake in no uncertain terms at the break, McDonnell heeded his trainers advice and upped the pressure which found him some initial success by throwing more body punches, then when it looked like he knocked Vargas down and the crowd got excited, he most have thought the fight was about to turn a corner but the referee deemed that it was a pull down and not a knock down which was the correct decision and Vargas came back into the round.
Vargas, felt he needed to up his work rate as McDonnell was starting to sneak back into the fight so he done this and at times he was just moving out of the range off McDonnell’s shots and counter punching him, McDonnell was trying his best to cut the ring off and fight Vargas on the inside but the elusive Vargas was still controlling the fight picking and timing his shots so well that he was winning the rounds. Vargas can almost see the finish line so he never stops moving around the ring in each round and even when McDonnell does catch him cleanly it does not faze him or he takes a single punch and spins out to go on the move again.
Both fighters showed that they have a high fitness level as going into the tenth round they looked as fresh as they did in the first. McDonnell started the brighter with a lunging right hook that landed solidly on the chin off Vargas, but again he found a way to absorb the punch and get out of trouble, McDonnell dominated the rest of the round as it looked like Vargas was taking a breather. Into the eleventh and what a difference a round makes as McDonnell ups the pressure again and Vargas goes on his bike, but both fighters for the first time start to looked tired. It felt like it was all too little too late for McDonnell with Vargas going into cruise control for the last two rounds as he knows it would take a very controversial decision for him to lose the fight now.
When the scorecards came in there was a shock as the first judge from England gave the score of 114-114 a draw which baffles everyone watching but thankfully the other two judges from America gave more realistic scores of 117-111 and 116-112 so Vargas rightfully has his hand raised and is announced the winner of the WBC Super Bantamweight Title by a majority decision.
Other fighters appearing on the card are as follows:
Luke Campbell bt Jairo Lopez ‘Doberman’ Silver Lightweight Championship Fight (2nd Round Stoppage)
Tommy Coyle ‘Boom Boom’ bt Kofi Yates ‘Casper’ Super Lightweight Fight (3rd Round KO)
Ryan Burnett bt Joseafat Reyes Bantamweight Fight (Points)
David Allen bt Lucasz Recowieciz Heavyweight Fight (1st Round KO)
Jordan Ellison bt Jacob Wooley Super Featherweight Fight (Points)
Dec Spelman ‘Kid Nytro’ bt Nathan King Light Heavyweight Fight (3rd Round TKO)
William Warburton bt Conor Seymour Super Welterweight Fight (2nd Round Stoppage)
James Carney ‘Bam Bam’ bt Carl Chadwick ‘Chad’ Lightweight Fight (Points)