Two-time Venezuelan Olympian Gabriel Maestre celebrated a hollow victory as a stunned Mykal Fox attempted to fathom what transpired.
Fox’s face as the decision got read out told the whole story.
Gabriel Maestre wins by unanimous decision and Mykal Fox's reaction says it all…. ???? ????
Maestre becomes the new WBA 'Interim' Welterweight Champion #MaestreFox #PBConFOX pic.twitter.com/p77E0eCRSd
— FOX Sports: PBC (@PBConFOX) August 8, 2021
Maestre (4-0, 3 KOs) won a “close unanimous decision” over Fox (22-3, 5 KOs) to capture the Interim WBA welterweight title in a shocking turn of events.
The fact that Maestre could recover from an early knockdown in round two was not a deciding factor. Fox scored it with a blistering counter left hand that Maestre never saw coming. This incident should have been the cherry on the cake at the end.
How Maestre got the verdict, nobody will ever know.
“I was stunned by the decision,” said Fox. “There’s no way he won more rounds than me.
“I knocked him down. I hurt him. But I don’t know what else I was supposed to do. I don’t know what the judges were looking at. Look at his face and tell me he won that fight.”
“When I got knocked down, I didn’t see the punch coming,” said Maestre. “He didn’t really hurt me, though, so it was no problem to get up and keep going.”
The unbeaten Maestre was able to work his way back into the fight through the middle rounds with consistent activity as he chased the elusive Fox around the ring.
The aggression led to a 119 to 108 advantage for Maestre in power punches landed, despite Fox holding an overall edge in punches landed with 157 to 131.
“The strategy was just to keep fighting him for 12 rounds,” said Maestre. “I just wanted to stay close to him and make sure I kept throwing punches. Fox definitely surprised me. He was a very good boxer. I think the key was that I was throwing multiple punches and combinations. That was the strategy from start to finish.”
MYKAL FOX REMATCH
Fox appeared to turn the tide in the later rounds, pot-shotting Maestre effectively as he continued to circle the ring while holding smartly to slow any offensive momentum his opponent gained.
After 12 rounds, the judges all saw the fight in favor of Maestre by scores of 114-113, 115-112, and 117-110. Fox was in disbelief at the judges’ scores post-fight, while Maestre declared he would give Fox a rematch.
“Fox fought very well, and he deserves a rematch,” said Maestre. “It was a very close fight. If my team says, that’s what they want. I’ll be ready to fight him again.”
