Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN ‘Alexander vs. Martinez’ Results & Play-by-Play

Lee Selby vs. Fernando Montiel

Round 1

Selby comes out of his corner and quickly establishes his jab. The much taller lankier Welshman is looking to keep his distance. Selby continues to reach with his jab while Montiel is still cold, trying to figure his foe out. Montiel is very stiff, leaning backward as he appears to be looking over his gloves at Selby. Selby rattles off several jabs before Montiel finally lands a right to the body. Double left hook by the Mexican, but Selby blocks them both. Nice left/right by Selby with 30 seconds late follows a left hook by the challenger. Hard right hook to the body by Selby to close out the round. 10-9 to the champ, Selby.

Round 2

Selby comes out with the jab again, keeping the shorter Montiel at bay. They exchange left hooks, but neither man lands anything hard. Selby misses a left/right but Montiel doesn’t make him pay. Selby jabs to the head and body, disallowing Montiel to find any sort of rhythm. Montiel doesn’t let his hands go at all, allowing Selby to do what he pleases late. More jabs by the champ before tying Montiel up. Nice left hook on the inside from Montiel, but the round is the champ's again. 10-9 Selby.

Round 3

Montiel is a tad more aggressive early in the frame, but his punches fall just short of their target. Selby pops his foe with a few jabs before nailing the Mexican with a stinging straight right. But Montiel is tough, taking the clean blow easily. The Welshman opens up his arsenal more, looking to add to the damage but Montiel storms right back. It’s a decent exchange in the center of the ring until the champ connects with a powerful overhand right. Fernando stumbles off to his right, but it appears as though it’s more of a stumble than anything. The former three-time world champ recovers quickly and returns some fire, but again, Selby’s activity and reach are too much. 10-9 Selby

Round 4

Selby sticks out a few jabs before drilling his foe with a laser-like left-right. Montiel ducks underneath and then unfurls a wicked, loopy right to the jaw, which causes the champ to stop in his tracks. Another right upstairs by Fernando and Selby knows he’s now in a fight. “Cochulito” seems to have found a rhythm now as he’s coming in with much more confidence, letting his hands fly. Selby is retreating quite a bit, though he’s still rifling out that rangy jab of his. Lee misses a right cross but his follow-up left hook connects, but Montiel returns the favor with a powerful right and then a left to the melon. Very close round, but it's still the IBF titlist's. 10-9 Selby, once more.

Round 5

There is some swelling under Montiel’s left eye to start the stanza, but it’s nothing to worry about just yet. The Welshman pops off a series of jabs before Montiel fires off a stinging right to the cheek. The Mexican is backing up a minute in, looking to reel Selby into a trap. The champ is a little too wise, though, as he keeps his distance behind the jab. The action slows quite a bit as the final minute approaches. Montiel lands a glancing left hook but his follow-right misses. Selby goes back to the jab and then digs a right to the body. Another. They trade decent leather at the bell, but the champ gets the better of the two. 10-9 Selby.

Round 6

The defending champ races out of his corner and quickly establishes the jab. He triples it up, preventing Montiel to get any offense going. Selby throws a nice three-punch combo to the head, but Montiel walks through it, looking to unload a monstrous left hook. The Wales-based fighter avoids and then counters the charge with a nice two-punch combo. Montiel is undaunted and connects with a hard left. The Welshman seems buzzed by the shot as he backs off toward the ropes. The Mexican feels a burst of energy and comes right at the champion, firing off bombs to the head and body. Selby wants none of it as he’s on his horse. Counter right lead by Montiel followed by a left hook at the bell. Great round for the Mexican, his best so far. 10-9 Montiel.

Round 7

Montiel charges out and clips the champ with a sweeping right to the head. Selby fires a right and then a left of his own. A jab by Selby follows a left hook from the Mexican. A few stiff jabs by the featherweight titlist keeps Montiel at bay momentarily. One-two by the champ, but Montiel is unfazed. With redness and swelling around Selby’s right eye, he goes back to the jab almost exclusively. Montiel bull rushes him and digs some lethal shots to the body and then to the head. The former three-time champion just misses a sinister left hook to the head and he’s countered by a right cross. Lead right-left hook by the champ just before the bell steals the round. 10-9 Selby.

Round 8

Two jabs, followed by a straight right by the champ starts the frame. Montiel covers up and then tosses a right. Selby counters with a three-punch combo to the head, but the Mexican withstands it. Selby moves off to his right behind the jab and the unfurls a right to the gut. Fernando stiffens up just as Selby cracks him with a zinging lead right to the jaw. Montiel’s head snaps to the side, but he storms back with a left hook. Selby darts in and out with the jab, frustrating the much shorter former titlist. Montiel misses a left uppercut from too far and pays for it by swallowing a nasty left hook. Another quick one-two at the bell from the Welshman. 10-9 Selby.

Round 9

If Montiel is to capture a world title in a fourth different weight class, he needs to get things going right now. Time isn’t on his side, and Selby’s Gatling gun-like jab isn’t helping his cause. Though there isn’t much power behind the champ’s punches, Selby is tossing out combos like candy on Halloween. Montiel isn’t bothered by the shots, but he’s unable to get his trademark power to land cleanly. Again, Selby plasters him with the jab. Montiel backs off, relegated to throwing one punch at a time. The Mexican backs into the ropes to set a trap, but it fails. Selby’s right eye is swelling badly now, but he’s in complete control of the skirmish. Montiel rallies late but it’s nowhere near enough capture the frame. 10-9 Selby.

Round 10

The defending champion begins the round with a blistering three-punch combo upstairs. They trade left hooks in the center of the ring. Montiel is taking deep breaths early, a sign that he might be gassing out. Selby is dominating him with that pesky jab and follow-up right to the muzzle. Fernando goes with a left hook but Selby beats him to the punch with one of his own. The Mexican continues to load up with one-punch explosions but his fatigue is causing him to telegraph his shots. One-two by the champ again and again. Selby misses a wild left hook and falls flat on his face; referee Robert Byrd correctly rules it a slip. Montiel misses a loopy overhand right and pays for it by tasting a left hook. Montiel rallies again with some hard shots to the body and head, but the Welshman is unfazed. 10-9 Selby.

Round 11

Selby meets his foe in the center of the ring and tags him with a sizzling one-two. Lead right by the Welshman as Montiel backs into the ropes. Fernando takes a deep breath after swallowing three jabs, trying to regroup. Montiel’s corner is yelling at him in Spanish to fight, to attack right now. He tries, but his gas tank is depleting before the world’s eyes. Selby, though his face is pretty busted up, looks fresh as he throws punches from everywhere. “Cochulito” misses a wild right hook by a few feet and is drilled by a counter left to the eye socket. It’s one-way traffic late for the champ. 10-9 Selby.

Round 12

Montiel needs a miracle knockout if he’s to add another world title to his collection. He is woefully behind on the cards and get into a rhythm at all. His corner is imploring to give it everything he has, that he needs a knockout. Montiel charges right at the champ as soon as the round starts. Selby backs off, moving away behind the jab. Fernando cracks him with a left hook, but Selby brushes it aside. Selby changes course and is now coming right at the challenger a minute in. Montiel just misses a nasty three-punch combo upstairs and Selby nails him with a left hook for his effort. Sweeping left hook by “Cochulito,” followed by a right cross. Selby shakes them off and fires a few jabs in return. With 45 seconds left, Montiel needs something huge. The Welshman is right there in his face, trading blows. A good exchange late until they clinch just before the bell. Sherdog.com sees the round 10-9 Selby, and 119-109 for the Welshman overall.

The Official Result

Lee Selby def. Fernando Montiel via Unanimous Decision (119-109, 118-110, 116-112) R12 3:00

Devon Alexander vs. Aron Martinez

Round 1

tinez tags him with a loopy left hook, but the former two-time champ shrugs it off. They clinch a few times when Martinez gets too close. Alexander ties him up again, not willing to engage on the inside. “El Asesino” comes right at his foe, trying to make it a dirty brawl. Alexander pegs him with a few jabs before digging a left uppercut to the gut. They come together again, sapping the life out of the crowd that is begging for violence. A few jabs by the St. Louis fighter to close out the round, which ends under a cascade of boos. 10-9 Alexander.

Round 2

Alexander keeps Martinez away with some jabs. Aron bull rushes his way inside, but Devon cracks him with a great right hook and then a left uppercut. After clinching a few times, Alexander ties the Mexican up again. Referee Wes Melton warns the two welters that, “this is not a wrestling match. Come on!” Martinez stays in Devon’s chest, trying to brawl, but Alexander goes straight into octopus mode again and again. Melton warns the former champ for holding, telling him to the let him go. Martinez shoves the crown of his skull into Alexander’s grill during a clinch. The crowd is angrily booing the “action” at the bell. 10-10 even in the uninspired round.

Round 3

Martinez misses a lead right as the round begins. Alexander counters him with a decent jab. Aron works his way inside, only to be handcuffed by the former world champ. Alexander clutches onto his foe’s left arm for dear life, refusing to the let him go, even after Melton scolds him to do so. Martinez continues to try and make this a fight, but Devon throws one punch before clinching. Melton warns him again. A choppy overhand left by “The Great” glances off the Mexican’s coconut, but Alexander ties him up again. With a minute left, vitriol from the fans begins to shower the two. Alexander nails his foe with a right elbow on the inside before popping him with a left hook. “El Asesino” plugs away but he’s smothering his own punches by getting too close. 10-9 Alexander.

Round 4

Alexander backs away to his right as he tosses out a few pawing jabs. Martinez hesitates before charging in, only to get tied up. A lead right to the mouth by Martinez, but there’s nothing on it. Devon fires off three jabs in a row and then tags his foe with a moderate left cross. They clinch a few more times and here come the boos yet again. Ref Wes Melton continues to yell at the men not to hold and to let him go. They exchange a right and left hook simultaneously, but neither punch is clean. They exchange some vicious uppercuts to the body just before the bell. 10-9 Alexander.

Round 5

Alexander picks off five consecutive jabs from Martinez. Aron dives inside to pound on his opponent’s ribcage, but Devon ties him up. Alexander shoves his right elbow into Martinez’ face again, right in front of Melton, but there is no warning. He does it again before tying Aron up. “El Asesino” fires off a few digs to the body before being tied up. Alexander backs into the ropes, allowing Martinez to slug away at his intestines. They stand forehead-to-forehead for a while and unload a furious assault of body shots onto one another with 45 seconds left. Decent action late. 10-9 Martinez.

Round 6

Martinez tags the St. Louis boxer with a nice one-two right away, but Alexander comes back with a few jabs and then a left to the face. Martinez charges at Alexander, who backs into the ropes, only to be tied up. Melton says several times to Devon to let him go and then warns him for going with the headlock. Two shots to the body, followed by a left hook up top by Martinez. Martinez stays right on the former champ and swings away, landing some powerful shots to the head and body. Left hook, followed by a left-right to the guts by “El Asesino.” Alexander shoves his elbow into his foe’s face again. Some more decent action late and it’s another solid round for the underdog. 10-9 Martinez, again.

Round 7

Right hook by Alexander starts the round, but “El Asesino” storms back with a combo to the head. Alexander is moving well early, keeping his foe away with the jab. A couple of shots downstairs for Devon before he returns to the attic with a flurry. They stand in the pocket and deliver body shots back-and-forth. Nice right uppercut by Martinez on the inside, but Alexander comes right back with a multi-punch combo from all angles. Hard left upper from the underdog, followed by a flurry to the body and head. Alexander was winning the round easily until he decided to allow Martinez to pound away on the inside for the final 90 seconds. 10-9 Martinez for the third round in a row.

Round 8

Alexander’s corner is angry with him and they threaten to stop the fight if he continues to fight that way. Martinez comes right at him and immediately starts winging shots to the midsection. Alexander is tagged by a clean left hook and then backs off, looking to reestablish his jab. Melton warns “El Asesino” for deliberately shoving Devon’s head down during a clinch. A few jabs from the St. Louis fighter, followed by an overhand left. Their heads come together with 70 seconds left but neither man is cut. Alexander ties him up again on the inside and Melton again warns him. Martinez forces Devon to fight on the inside. Huge straight from Martinez is shoved down Alexander’s food funnel and he’s rocked. Aron jumps all over him and unloads a flurry but “The Great” shakes it off and survives the round. 10-9 Martinez.

Round 9

Martinez misses a right hook as soon as the round begins and Devon ties him up. “The Great” looks to stay on the outside with the jab, but he allows Martinez to easily get inside. Nothing happens and as soon as Aron gets close, Alexander ties him up. They continue to clinch – and continue to get warned by Melton – but nothing happens. Martinez is able to land a few scant uppercuts to the belly before Devon backs off. Right hook from the hard-charging Martinez, but Alexander comes back with a few shots upstairs. Alexander misses a sloppy right hook and is nailed by a counter left hook. It stiffens his legs for a second before he has to clinch. They maul each other on the inside near the bell. Another close, ugly round. 10-9 Martinez.

Round 10

Trainer Kevin Cunningham tells Alexander, “You gotta knock him out to win. You do know that, right?” Cunningham is disgusted and frustrated. Alexander storms out and throws a lead left, followed by a right hook. Martinez slugs away, trying to make it a brawl. Devon laces him with a nice right hook on the inside, but “El Asesino” tears into the former world champ’s body. The octopussery continues at the midway point, all the while Melton continues to warn them about holding. Alexander lands a moderate lead left, but Martinez fires back with a left hook. They stand forehead-to-forehead, slugging away at the body. With 30 seconds left, the fight is likely up for grabs. Sharp left to the head by Alexander late, but Martinez drills a right to the body and then another. 10-9 Alexander, but Sherdog.com has it 96-95 for Aron Martinez.

The Official Result

Aron Martinez def. Devon Alexander via Unanimous Decision (97-93, 97-93, 96-94) R10 3:00