Young fighter Shinard Bunch can feel highly aggrieved after missing out on a clear victory in his Showtime clash with Janelson Figueroa Bocachica.
Bunch won at least seven rounds of the contest in most peoples’ eyes. According to Joseph Mason (96-94) and Jeff Sinnett (95-95), not so. To his credit, the only one of the three who got it right was Mike Contreras (97-93).
The pair of 22-year-olds, fighting in the co-feature, fought to a controversial split draw in their 10-round welterweight bout.
Bunch of Trenton, N.J., and Figueroa Bocachica of Detroit were both close in punches thrown with 399 for Bunch and 390 for Figueroa Bocachica.
Bunch used his jab throughout the fight, landing 68 of 217 and landed 30.8% of his power punches.
“Of course, I thought I won the fight,” said Bunch. “I honestly feel like I won it. Even his coach said I won the fight.
“I landed the more powerful shots, even boxing-wise, sticking and moving. The only thing I could do better was getting a knockout. I feel like I hurt him plenty of times. I don’t know what the judges were watching.”
Figueroa Bocachica said he thought he won the fight. “I felt like he didn’t land anything that hurt me, and I applied the pressure.
“I disagreed with the judges. But I’m the fighter, not the judge. I could have put pressure from the beginning instead of the end. But I could have used the jab more.
“I was lazy with my right hand because I was going to knock him out. Those are things I need to learn.”
He added: “Oh yeah, there will be controversy after this. It comes with the sport.”
CLOWNED on SHOWTIME
Promoter Lou Dibella, always vocal regarding robberies of this kind, aired his views soon after. The Hall of Famer didn’t hold back.
“That decision is an f-ing disgrace. It wasn’t close!
“Bocachica f-ing lost to Reyes and got CLOWNED by Bunch, and he’s 1-0-1 in those fights. I’m so f-ing tired of this sh–.”
Hopefully, all those involved will see sense and launch an appeal, at the very least for an immediate rematch.
