Robert Easter Jr Out-slugs Adrian Granados in Pennsylvania War!
The old saying in boxing goes “styles make fights.” That could be no more true when thinking of the horrid performance both Robert Easter Jr and Rances Barthelemey put on against each other in April. Fortunately, the former IBF lightweight champion gets the opportunity to rectify things in his junior welterweight debut against longtime contender Adrian Granados.
In the opening round, Easter Jr came out on fire as he immediately started putting leather on Granados. Utilizing his jab, he would unleash hard left-hooks and right-hands trying to establish his power on his bigger foe. After a dominant first round for Easter, things would immediately heat up!
Rounds 2-4
Things got cracking in round two as Easter Jr would all but abandon his game plan. The taller, more skilled fighter would, instead, go to war with Granados. At close range, the shots just kept coming. While Granados was successful, his opponent would still appear more effective as he would mix up his attack.
Rounds three and four saw both men elevate their punch output, with Easter Jr mixing up between boxing on the outside and fighting on the inside. Granados would relish this phone booth type of fight, as he started to gain momentum, landing vicious body shots and punishing head shots.
This “Fight of the Year” candidate would continue as the action would just not let up!
Rounds 5-8
Granados would continue to turn up the pressure as Easter Jr would elect to stand and trade against the advice of his trainer/father Robert Easter Sr. Sensing the momentum slipping away, Easter Jr would start these next few rounds on his bicycle, pumping the jab and dishing out punishing combinations.
However, that wouldn’t last long, as Easter Jr would again be lured into a close range slug-fest.
DOWN TO THE WIRE
As the final two rounds would come around, it was clear to many watching the fights that this was Easter Jr’s fight to lose. Barring a knockout, he would secure the victory. However, the way he fought the two last rounds, you would’ve thought he was fighting the final two rounds to secure the victory instead of preserving it.
At the end Easter Jr would be declared winner via unanimous decision. The scores would read 97-93, 98-92 and 100-90. He improves his record to 22-1-1, 14 KOs while Granados record falls to 20-8-2, 14 KOs.
By: Jerrell Fletcher
