March 7, 2000
It wasn't pretty, but Robbie Peden got the job done.
The undefeated Australian took a 12-round split decision over Carlos
Rios of Argentina on Sunday at the New Frontier.
Peden captured the vacant NABFsuper featherweight title with the
victory, which was televised by Fox Sports Net.
The bout was marred by continued clinching by both fighters.
There were no knockdowns, although Peden, 128 1/2, landed the cleaner
punches.
Rios, 129, scored with leap-in lefts and rights, but it was usually one
punch at a time.
Judge Vince Delgado of Los Angeles scored it 114-112 for Peden, and
judge Dave Moretti of Las Vegas had it 115-111 for Peden.
Judge Cindy Bartin of Las Vegas scored it 115-111 for Rios. Bartin
scored the first three rounds for Peden and the last nine for Rios.
Referee Vic Drakulich of Reno deducted two points from Rios' score.
Drakulich assessed one point in the eighth round for hitting on the break and
another in the 12th for a kidney punch.
Drakulich had a busy night, telling the fighters to watch out for head
butts, hitting on the break, low blows and holding and hitting.
"He was very awkward," Peden said. "It was a good test. I enjoyed the
fight."
Peden, who has been living in Big Bear, Calif., for the last two years,
improved to 16-0.
The gracious Peden, 26, wouldn't accuse Rios of fighting dirty.
"He hit me low a few times," Peden said. "I'm not complaining. I
thought I won the fight. I controlled the fight. I won eight or nine rounds.
He was holding a lot."
Roger Bloodworth, Peden's trainer, thought his fighter did a good job
against the more experienced Rios.
"(Peden) did what he had to do," Bloodworth said. "I thought he kept
his composure pretty well."
Rios, 28, fell to 48-4-2. He had lost a one-sided decision to World
Boxing Council super featherweight champion Floyd Mayweather of Las Vegas 13
months ago in Grand Rapids, Mich., and was stopped in the sixth round by WBC
featherweight champion Luisito Espinosa in 1997 in the Philippines.
Peden's purse was $15,000, and Rios received $10,000.
In other bouts:
Santiago Samaniego, 157, of Las Vegas, stopped Maselino Masoe, 154, New
Zealand, at the end of the fifth round in a scheduled 10-rounder. Samaniego
had been the lead sparring partner for David Reid, while Reid trained for his
unsuccessful title defense against Felix Trinidad.
Jesus Ruiz, 175, Mexico, stopped Glenn Robinson, 173 1/2, at 1:14 of
the fourth round in a scheduled six-rounder.
Mark Suarez, 147, Las Vegas, stopped Rudy Lovato, 148, Albuquerque,
N.M., at 1:29 of the first round in a scheduled four-rounder.
Ted Padilla, 123 1/2, Las Vegas, and Terry Evans, 123, Cleveland,
fought to a no-contest when Padilla was cut over the eye by an accidental
head butt in the first round and could not continue.
Benito Tsan, 160, Los Angeles, and Miguel Barraza, 157, Mexico, fought
to a four-round majority draw.
Jamel Hodges, 129 1/2, Las Vegas, stopped Artyam Galstyan, 136, Los
Angeles, at 2:32 of the first round in a scheduled four-rounder.
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