Sunday 7 October 2018 10:42, UK
Jessie Vargas had to settle for another draw as he battled to a stalemate with welterweight rival Thomas Dulorme after enduring a final round knockdown.
The former WBO champion floored Dulorme in the 10th, only to be sent to the canvas in the 12th, and he received one score of 115-111, but the other two judges made it a majority draw with tallies of 113-113, 113-113 in Chicago.
It was a second successive draw for Vargas, whose battle with Adrien Broner could not be separated on the scorecards in April.
Dulorme's swift hand speed was evident in the opening round as he ripped a right hand through the defences of Vargas, who then dipped at the knees following a left hook.
A worrying start for Vargas continued in the second round, with Dulorme picking him off with quicker punches, and a head clash left the Las Vegas fighter with a cut over his right eye.
Vargas landed a left hook as he gained a foothold in the third, and then a crisp right hand forced Dulorme to hold in the fourth.
A flurry of punches forced Vargas back to the ropes as Dulorme came firing back in the fifth, but the Puerto Rican was wobbled by a right hook in the sixth.
There was little respite in the frenetic rounds, and Vargas responded with sharp counters, despite a stream of blood from his gaping eyebrow.
Vargas made a breakthrough in the 10th, dropping his dazed opponent with a right hand, but Dulorme clambered to his feet and then scored a flash knockdown with a right hook in the final seconds of the 12th.
