Luis Arias keeps his word and shocks Jarrett Hurd
Former unified junior middleweight Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (24-1, 16ko) wants to make a run for the titles he used to hold. First, though, he needs to focus on tough opponent Luis “Cuba” Arias (18-2-1, 9ko). Arias a tough fighter with a stellar amateur background but has been struggling to find success as a professional. The Mayweather Promotions fighter comes to fight and brings a lot of energy. However, he has come up short in his three fights with a record of 0-2-1. Looking to turn things around, Arias is extremely focused and believes Hurd is the one ripe for the picking.
Hurd is looking to regain his spot atop the junior middleweight division. Swift is coming off almost a year and a half layoff, and he had to deal with the tragedy of losing his father earlier in the year. Hurd is focused more than ever and wants unified champion Jermell “Hit Man” Charlo to know he is coming for those belts.
Obviously the bigger man, Hurd started in his typical fashion, slow and getting hit by the counter right hand. At one point, Arias was being the aggressor, landing wild overhand rights and hooks to the body. Later, Swift started picking things up, landing the right hand to the body and managing to cut Arias in-between the eyes from a sharp, short right uppercut.
THIS FIGHT STARTED OUT UGLY
Getting started was plagued by delays, from trouble getting the time clock to start to the canvas needing drying off due to rain. This fight began with Arias living up to the press conference talks about attacking the bigger Hurd. He was landing hard left and right hooks to the body and found a home for that overhand right. Hurd was just coming forward looking to wear down the smaller man with the right uppercut. The straight right hand would put Arias in retreat mode for the moment.
THE UPSET WAS THERE FOR THE TAKING
Cuba found a second wind, attacking the body and continuing to land the overhand right throughout the middle rounds. Hurd started coming on, landing heavy, straight rights until two low blows in the seventh round paused the action for a moment. However, Arias would come back after the break landing the right uppercut on the inside. He was in full control of the fight, landing the right hand at will.
Hurd, seemingly content with blocking punches with his face, was under heavy fire from Arias and against the ropes. Arias, again, was coming on strong, being the busier man until he slipped in the ninth round. The fall would be ruled a knockdown.
Cuba, realizing he had to fight hard, came out in the final round fighting like a mad man. He was landing the forever overhand right and two brutal hooks to the body. At the sound of the final bell, Hurd landed a right hook that dropped Arias. However, the ref did not count it, and we would go to the judges’ scorecards.
One judge scored it 95-94 for Hurd and the other two judges saw it 97-93 and 96-93 for Cuba. 3kingsboxing scored it 97-93. Arias walks away with the upset.
Hurd’s downfall was being more focused on looking at the future, wanting to challenge unified champion Jermell “Hit Man” Charlo. Instead, he should have been focused on avoiding that overhand right from Arias.
By: Garrisson Bland
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