Gustavo Lemos dropped everything against Richardson Hitchins in Las Vegas but lost on points in a controversial ruling

Gustavo Lemos He left everything in the early hours of this previous Sunday Richardson Hitchins, but a controversial decision by the competition judges prevented him from having a chance to fight for a world title. The Argentine was unfairly left empty-handed in Las Vegasdespite being the main protagonist of the undefeated duel with an excessively conservative American rival.

Lemos was the only one who seemed determined to take victory at the Bleaulive Theater of the Hotel Fontainebleau, where not only the number one in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super lightweight rankings, but also the chance to face the Puerto Rican Subriel was at stake and Matías for the title of that entity.

However, despite the development clearly favorable to the population of Buenos Airesthe judges unanimously saw Hitchins as the winner, scoring one card at 117-111 and two at 115-113.

The American tried to maintain distance with the jab from the start, even extending his left arm more than necessary. The boxer from Tres Arroyos, meanwhile, tried by all means to locate the space to filter a blow from different angles.

Thanks to this clearly offensive posture, Lemos managed to achieve this with dangerous links to the face of his rival, who responded several times with links towards the Argentine to prevent him from progressing.

The first four rounds were clearly favorable for Lemos, who then took a break due to initial tiredness to return with everything in the eighth and besiege a Hitchins who suffered the blows. Proof of this is that he has accentuated his strategy of engaging in combat and avoiding confrontation.

The final third of the match passed in the same way, with the Argentine attacking and the American betting on time, rarely leaving his defensive strategy behind.

The development suggested another decision from the judges and that is why, after the verdict was made official, a murmur of disapproval could be heard from ringside.

The tough road Lemos went through to fight Hitchins

Eléctrico, born 26 years ago in the Ruta 3 Sur neighborhood of Tres Arroyos and a former construction worker, was already half a step away from fighting for an IBF, New Jersey-based organization, title.

In March 2022, after knocking out Welsh veteran Lee Selby at Luna Park, he became the number one contender for the lightweight crown, which at that time was held by Australian George Kambosos.

However, the case was postponed because Oceanic had agreed to a unification duel with American Devin Haney and so the Buenos Aires native entered a 21-month hiatus during which extremely uncomfortable situations arose.

For example, in July 2022 he was arrested by Buenos Aires police personnel for resisting authorities after a traffic accident in the center of his hometown. Subsequently, he suffered a hand injury that prevented him from hitting normally for nearly a semester.

And when his return seemed like a fact, already established in the super lightweight division, he exceeded the category limit by four kilos (63,500 kilos) at the weigh-in for a fight against Javier Clavero of Córdoba, scheduled for August 18, 2023 in the Playground. The bout was canceled and, a few days later, the IBF excluded it from its rankings.

Tito’s reappearance occurred only on December 15, after 629 days of unwanted stoppage. That night, in the ring set up at Corrientes and Bouchard Coliseum, it took him just 40 seconds to knock out Clavero.

A couple of weeks later, the IBF reinstated him in its rankings: it ranked him eighth among super lightweights. And in February he was promoted to the seventh step. From that position he challenged Hitchins this morning.

Agustín Gauto failed to hit Galal Yafai

In another of the clashes that occurred this evening in Las Vegas, the native of Buenos Aires Agostino Gauto he couldn’t against the undefeated English Galal Yafaiwho defeated him by TKO in the eighth round and successfully defended his World Boxing Council (WBC) international flyweight title.

The Lanús-born boxer, 26, faced the most demanding challenge of his professional career at the Bleaulive Theater of the Hotel Fontainebleau, ahead of one of the great hopes of British boxing, who won the gold medal at Tokyo 2020 on his stage. amateur.

Gauto held on in his sixth overseas presentation until southpaw Yafai, 31, landed a series of blows with 25 seconds left before the bell, which caused him to lower his guard and forced the match referee to declare the final.