By: Sean Cross
The WBA and WBC Junior tilt titles were on the line Friday night in Quebec. 28-2 Jessica Neri Plata puts her WBA title on the line while 16-0 Kim Clavell puts her WBC title on the line. The fight, which aired live on ESPN+, was scheduled for ten two-minute rounds. It didn’t get much attention before, but the feud ended up being a complete barnstormer.
Clavell was strong, employing an effective jab and getting her opponent on the ropes before finishing the match. The second was close and exciting, each fighter tagged the other. Clavell was fighting in her native Canada, but it was clear the fight was no walk in the park for her. Plata did a good job putting her punches together in the third. Things kept interesting in the fourth, which was an extremely close round with each fighter throwing and landing well.
Plata’s quick hands seemed to tell the story well in the fifth, but Clavell may have won with some good punches. With that in mind, Clavell finished the round with her face covered in blood. Clavel kept his distance well in the sixth, landing cleanly while trying to avoid Plata’s punches. However, it was Plata’s punches that appeared to tell the story in the seventh.
Clavell was able to employ effective footwork in the eighth, but Plata’s clean punches may have given her the edge. The fight was hard to call but very close. The ninth was confirmed to be explosives. Each fighter was throwing and landing with energy and determination. The tenth and final round was also explosive and very close – although Plata hit Clavell hard after the final bell.
The judges scored the Plata fight.
