News
CHEVELLE HALLBACK & MELISSA HERNANDEZ FIGHT TO SPLIT DRAW!
The co-main event on the February 7th card was a crowd-pleasing, 10-round battle between two evenly matched fighters
for the vacant IFBA Lightweight (135 pound) title—so even that Tampa, Florida’s Chevelle “Fists of Steel” Hallback, the No. 1 Lightweight in the world, and the 6th ranked Jr. Lightweight Melissa “Hurrican” Hernandez of Bronx, NY ended up with a split draw—leaving the title unclaimed and opening the door for a rematch. The Puerto Rican got Hallback on the ropes early, but the Florida fighter countered with a wide array of shots to the body and head in the middle rounds. Both of them danced around the ring throwing solid punches in a match that wooed the crowd, ending with a tenth round filled with furious fighting. In the end, the judges scored it: 97-94 Hallback, 97-93 Hernandez and 95-95. Hallback is now 25-5-2, 11KOs and Hernadez is 7-1-2, 2KOs.
Fighter quotes:
Melissa Hernandez:
Tonight I was at my best. The fight went well and according to plan. The judges’ decision, though, caught me off guard because I thought Chevelle was much more aggressive. It was her power against my slick game. I give her credit, she’s a great fighter and I always want to battle a great fighter.
Chevelle Hallback:
Melissa and I put on a great show tonight. It was a great, great, great fight. Sometimes it’s hard to fight someone you are friends with. I had her in the corner a couple times and I think I hurt her a couple times.
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