In a clash of unbeaten super bantamweights, WBC #1 Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) scored a twelve round majority decision over WBC #2 Gavin McDonnell (16-1-2, 4 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC 122lb title on Saturday night at the Hull Ice Arena in Hull, England. It was a competitive fight and a game effort by McDonnell, but the much taller Vargas put his size to good use in pulling away to a 117-111, 116-112, 114-114 verdict. McDonnell failed to match twin brother Jamie as a world ruler. Jamie holds the WBA bantamweight crown.
Vargas and McDonnell were fighting for the title vacated by Japan’s Hozumi Hasegawa who retired. Judges Nathan Palmer and Max De Luca (both from the USA) had Vargas comfortably ahead. British judge Ian John-Lewis from the UK somehow scored the bout even.
