Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Monday 6 March 2017
Thurman wins split decision

to unify welterweight titles

BARRY WILNER was a clear victory,” Thur- have a rematch to get my
AP Sports Writer man said. “But Danny, he titles back.
NEW YORK (AP) — Some- came to fight.” Thurman won a terrific bout
times, even for a knockout Thurman won a split deci- with Shawn Porter at Bar-
artist, defense is the best sion, getting scores of 116- clays last June.
option. 112 and 115-113. Garcia, This one wasn’t of such
Keith Thurman went that favored by a majority of high quality throughout,
route Saturday night, build- the fans who loudly derid- but it had its moments.Both
ing a big lead over Danny ed the announcement of fighters opened up with-
Garcia and holding on to the winner, won one card out reservation, each miss-
Keith Thurman poses for photographs after a welterweight add the WBC welterweight 115-113. ing several haymakers, but
championship boxing match against Danny Garcia on Satur-
day, March 4, 2017, in New York. Thurman won the fight. title to his WBA champion- The AP scored it 115-113 for also landing solid punches.
Associated Press ship. Thurman. Thurman’s right leads were
Yes, Thurman has 22 knock- “I knew with a wide spread particularly effective, while
outs in 28 fights, all wins. He it had to go to me when Garcia, whose right eye
won this unification bout, I heard,” Thurman said was getting red by the
though, by getting tactical about the decision. fourth round, used his right
and going somewhat con- Using powerful rights, in- hand to keep Thurman off-
servative. cluding straight leads balance.
“I was not giving the fight that stopped Garcia in his With each fighter capable
away,” he said. tracks, Thurman dominated of landing the one punch
“I felt like we had a nice early. Garcia landed the to end it, the crowd of
lead, we could cool down. occasional bomb, particu- 16,533 roared with every
I felt like we were control- larly one shot to the body shot — until the sixth, when
ling the 3-minute intervals that had Thurman grimac- both guys got cautious.
in each and every round.” ing at the end of the 10th. Despite all the previous ac-
Thurman handed Garcia “There might have been tion, the fans booed what
his first loss in 34 bouts. one left hook to the body clearly was the worst round
“I thought I pushed the that he landed that I felt,” of the bout.
fight like a true champion Thurman admitted. “But we It was nearly impossible to
and did enough to get the know how to endure these live up to the fury of the first
victory,” Garcia said. punches. five rounds, anyway, and
After five furious rounds to This isn’t just about outbox- only occasionally the rest
open things at Barclays ing an opponent, you have of the way did the fight do
Center, the pace slowed to take a punch, too.” so.
— even bringing boos from Garcia came on from But Thurman strategically
the large crowd at times. there, but it was too late. was being smart.
But it ended with a flourish “It was a tough fight,” he “We knew we had the
of exchanges in the 12th said. “I thought I came fight won,” trainer Dan Bir-
and final round. back strong. I can’t cry mingham said. “Keith was
And with Thurman holding over anything, I’ll come still scoring while he was
up two belts.“I thought I back strong like a true backing up — sticking and
outboxed him, I thought it champion. I would love to moving.”q

Lorena Ochoa to play her

LPGA Tour event in May

DOUG FERGUSON pionship at Chapultepec
AP Golf Writer Golf Club. “But I promise
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Lore- after tomorrow, I’m going
na Ochoa is returning to to practice every day. I
LPGA Tour competition for play OK. I enjoy it.”
the first time in five years, Even so, it has been so long
but only for her tourna- that she laughed and said,
ment. “I couldn’t find my golf
Mexico’s greatest golfer shoes this morning.”
said Sunday she will play in Ochoa was 28 and at the
the Lorena Ochoa Match top of her game when she
Play on May 4-7 in Mexico shocked the golf world by
City. It will be her first time announcing her retirement
competing since the Lore- in April 2010 when she still
Mexican great Lorena Ochoa na Ochoa Invitational in was No. 1 in the world. She
speaks to reporters during 2012.“I know I’m going to was recently married and
the Mexico Championship on play, so I’ve been prac- said she wanted to work on
Sunday, March 5, 2017 in Mex- ticing a couple of days a her foundation and start
ico City. week,” Ochoa said during a family.Ochoa now has
Associated Press
a visit to the Mexico Cham- three children..q