Mickey Bey bumped off long-time lightweight titlist Miguel Vazquez via split decision in an awkward, tactical fight on the undercard of the Marcos Maidana Vs. Floyd Mayweather Showtime pay-per-view. There really isn’t much to report about the fight; it was a typical Vazquez (34-4, 13 KO) jab-n-grab affair.
Bey (21-1-1, 10 KO) seemed to have worked a way to time Vazquez with his jab. In round 3 he flattened Vazquez’s nose, but even the sight of claret couldn’t enliven the fight, and the intensity of booing at the MGM Garden Arena increased as the fight wore on. Since only single shots were landed, it was a really difficult fight to score.
That said, the 119-109 for Bey seemed very wide (115-113 each way were the other scores). I find it hard to be outraged, though.
The crowd couldn’t even muster enthusiasm for the final bell, which tells you what you need to know. Both these guys can go on to decent fights, but they really need to be matched with fighters who will push the action.
(Bey, left, Vazquez, right; Photo via Showtime)
