By Mark Vester
At the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto (54-7-2, 32KOs) won a hard-fought unanimous twelve round decision over once-beaten Urbano Antillon (28-2, 20KOs) in a very active fight. The scores were 114-113, 115-112 and 114-113 for Soto.
An active first round with Soto working off the backfoot. Antillon warned in the first for a hard lowblow, and also for throwing Soto down to the floor during a clinch. Soto working off the backfoot in the second and throwing a lot of combinations as Antillon came inside. Antillon's nose was busted open by the bell and may have been broken.
In the third, Antillon started smothering Soto, who continued to land with good uppercuts as Antillon came inside. There were throwing and trading a lot of punches. Soto started doing damage to the body and Antillon came back to the head.
Soto started landing a lot of uppercuts in the fourth. Antillon got a final warning for punching low. Rounds five through nine were pretty much repeats with Soto working off the backfoot, Antillon coming forward and getting hit with hooks and uppercuts, and a lot of rough tactics by Antillon. There were moments of sunshine for Antillon. Not enough sunshine to change the pace of the fight but enough good moments to make the rounds very close. Antillon lost a point in round five for a low blow and it cost him a draw in the end.
At the end of round ten, Soto staggered Antillon with a serious of hard punches as the bell closed the final minute. By the start of the eleventh, Antillon's face was swollen and his nose continued to rain red. Soto started well, but it was Antillon who had a good rally at the end of the round.
In the twelfth and final round, they let everything hang out. Both guys were throwing and looked good in spots. They traded punches for the final ten seconds.
