Erik Robles tore up the script and upset hometown favorite Lee McGregor in claiming the vacant IBO world super-bantamweight title via unanimous decision at the Meadowbank Sports Arena in Edinburgh.
In an testing and up close fought affair it was ultimately the Mexican, who came out the victor with scores of 116-113 & 115-113.
McGregor & Robles started the contest both fast and looking to take the lead with a number of combinations.
Round 2 McGregor was looking to push back Robles from the start of the round towards the ropes and had multiple successes with combinations to the body. Robles fought himself free from the ropes with a double hand followed by combinations which did ultimately unsettle Lee but was negated well by the hometown favorite. The round was fought at an incredibly fast pace.
McGregor continued his success in third with some strong hard single shots to the body as the round became an upclose affair with Robles also mixing things up close with hooks to the body. There was no respite in the pace of the encounter as at times were seemingly happy to take it in turns to exchange punches however, when McGregor was given the to execute the more quality work he was able to do with a straight right late in the round sending the Mexican back into a neutral corner.
The pace of the contest had ultimately slowed down in the fourth which was to be expected following the nature of the opening three rounds. This had ultimately suited McGregor who was able to land more telling and the much cleaner work in comparison to Robles’s workman like style.
Robles started the fifth fast and on the front foot sinking a four punch combination to the body. McGregor was marching forward with his arms tucked by the sides as Robles continued his pursuit. The pairing would return to close quarters fighting and exchanging shots with visible reddening becoming apparent around the face of McGregor.
Returning to the pace of two rounds before, round six was a more tame affair with McGregor able to return to back to the jab and negating the front footed nature of Robles. Robles was still able to draw McGregor into an engagement at close quarters in periods during the round.
Round seven saw McGregor’s strongest round of the contest by a wide margin with following an exchange of upclose blows which saw McGregor able to to push Robles back against the ropes and unload his full repertoire of shots in textbook fashion with little returning in response.
Robles began to return fire in the eighth and re-engaging with McGregor at close quarters with McGregor more than comfortable to fight in such nature. A warning did come in the final minute by Robles who was able to land a long-right flush on the cheek of McGregor. The pattern of the ninth round would follow the same way too.
The tenth saw Robles push hard on McGregor with a barrage of punches in the center ring which wobbled and stunned McGregor towards the ropes in an unanswered barrage till a counter right from McGregor completely changed the momentum of the round in favor of McGregor.
Round eleven was looking like a positive round for McGregor till a late barrage from Robles had McGregor in a very uncomfortable position in the final thirty-seconds and the pressure was then repeated in the final round by Robles with McGregor playing for time to see the final bell.
On immediate reflection in an attriational affair the more quality work was coming from McGregor in comparison to the workman like showing and attritional work of Robles.
Ultimately the scorecards were read in favor of Robles via unanimous decision with scores 116-113, 115-113 x 2.
