Nikitan swept the first with his aggression while Conlan swept the second with his activity and accuracy. The core of the dispute rested in the third, which the judges from Brazil, Sri Lanka and Poland gave to Nikitin despite Conlan prevailing 31-21 overall and 29-20 power while also throwing 126 punches to Nikitin’s 87.
Perhaps it was Nikitin’s ability to draw Conlan into his preferred brawling style that may have tipped the scale, but numerically speaking the Irishman should have prevailed.
