Love Survives Major Scare To Decision Periban

By Rick Reeno

MGM Grand, Las Vegas - super middleweight contender J'Leon Love (18-0, 10KOs) was forced to survive the biggest scare of his career after getting badly hurt and going down in the fifth, but he sucked it up with a surge in the second half to win a ten round unanimous decision over Marco Antonio Periban (20-2-1, 13KOs). The scores were 95-93, 97-92 and 96-93. Love wins the WBA International title.

Periban's nose was bleeding bad in the second round but he managed to stun Love in the third with a series of punches that forced Love to hold on. Love went back to his boxing and controlled the fourth.

In the fifth, Periban rocked Love badly and began to punish him against the ropes. Love eventually took a knee with but Periban continued to land because referee Jay Nady stepped in too late. Nady practically threw Periban off and that made him fall to the mat. Love was given a count and barely escaped that round without being stopped.

Love came back in the sixth and had Periban in trouble in the final minute. Periban's left eye was cut bad during the assault by Love. From that point on, Periban appeared to be out of gas and Love was easily outboxing him.