Stephen Smith's downer, Josh Warrington's rise, the juniors' joy and the judges' dubious scoring

Image: America as big farewell to one 'Jr' but another is back... Gary Russell returns

After a busy night in Leeds, and an even busier line-up across the pond, there is plenty to reflect on, some of it good, some of it bad, some of it sad. And of course, there is always something controversial.

Hearts were broken, heads will hurt this morning and if you thought the number 13 was unlucky, try and work out the latest scorecard numbers that have left us all with a headache...

The return of Jr?

Image: Errol Spence Jr and Gary Russell Jr both won in style

The father-and-son successes in boxing will never go away but forget Mayweather, America has two stars who are set to shine brightly with 'Jr' at the end of their name. Gary Russell Jr and Errol Spence Jr both put on devastating performances stateside in our early hours of Sunday morning. 

Spence Jr has done what Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao didn't manage and stopped Chris Algieri in five, while poor Patrick Hyland came across Russell Jr's return to the ring after a long time out through injury. Between them they needed less than 17 minutes to show their worth. Russell Jr's handspeed is frightening, Spence Jr has power and precision in equal measures and both want to fight Britain's best. Kell Brook and Lee Selby be warned, there are two new Jr's growing up fast.

Down on his luck

Image: Jose Pedraza lands a right hand against Stephen Smith that would spell disaster

Stephen Smith gave everything he's got but it wasn't enough to disprove the notion that a certain number brings bad news - even in boxing. Swifty could have been our latest world champion, a week after Anthony Joshua destroyed Charles Martin with the sort of knockout that would worry any fighter on the planet. But power doesn't control everything in the ring. 

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The knockdown that Jose Pedraza conjured up in the ninth round did not have Smith struggling to beat the count, get to his feet, or even need time to clear his head. What it did was stop the momentum he was starting to build going into the crucial final third of the fight. If we tell you the American broadcasters Showtime had Smith and Pedraza level after eight rounds, you will see how unlucky it turned out. Add one lapse in concentration to one hard right and to a heartbroken boxer after that ninth round, it takes you to 12... knockdowns do more than muddle the numbers.

Warrington on war path

World featherweight champion Lee Selby says Josh Warrington would be 'an easy night's work' for him if the pair were to fight

There's no doubt that with victory over Hisashi Amagasa - regardless of some controversial scoring, Warrington has brought his dream world title shot at IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby significantly closer. Although 'The Welsh Mayweather' was again dismissive of Warrington's ability to mix it at elite level, on paper at least, overcoming the dangerous Amagasa represents a successful step up for the popular Leeds fighter.

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Selby, of course, has other options in the likes of fellow world featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr and super-bantamweight king Carl Frampton but with Warrington's boisterous following and unbeaten record, that domestic clash in the summer might seem the preferable move both tactically and financially.

Hall marks of success

Following his victory against Rodrigo Guerrero, Stuart Hall targets IBF bantamweight title-holder Lee Haskins

Again, the judges may have short-changed the defeated Rodrigo Guerrero in terms of the margin of the result but any spectator will have been impressed by Stuart Hall's technical skills and discipline. IBF world bantamweight champion Lee Haskins is one of just four men to have beaten Hall, who won his final eliminator with a clinical and efficient display.

Like so many Mexican boxers, Guerrero's commitment to inciting an old-fashioned tear-up was admirable and provided Leeds locals with a great spectacle - but Hall was always far more economical and accurate with his punches and his ringcraft ultimately yielded a deserved victory. Whether at the age of 36 he can become a world champion again remains to be seen, but there is no doubting Hall showed he still has the desire and engine to compliment his natural talent.

Judge ye not

Image: Stuart Hall got the decision but did the judges get the scoring right?

There is just no getting away from the issue, unfortunately. Hall was well supported on the night and from the crowd's hushed anticipation of the decision, most were expecting it to be close. When scores of 117-111 117-111 117-111 were read out, there was a mixture of relief and shock as it was expected that Guerrero's relentless workrate had earned him a greater share of the rounds.

While Hall had the crowd, almost its entirety was there to see local boy Warrington, who started and ended his bout with Amagasa in fast, aggressive and accurate mode. In the middle rounds, however, the Japanese visitor enjoyed long periods of success and even offered the crowd a dance of confidence in the wake of being caught by a rare Warrington counter. That the visitor's efforts should be undermined by one judge, who scored the bout 120-107 is bordering on an insult (it means at least one round was scored 10-8 in Warrington's favour despite the lack of a knockdown).

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