WBA champion Jessica Nery Plata (29-2, 3 KOs) defeated previously unbeaten Kim Clavel (16-1, 3 KOs) on Friday night at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada, to win the WBC championship in a WBC/WBA female light flyweight world title unification. After ten competitive rounds, the score was 97-93, 97-93, 96-94 in favor of Plata.
It was pretty interesting in the first round, with Plata winning the opening minute and Clavel winning the closing one. In the second round, there was nonstop action with Clavel landing rights and Plata landing left hooks all round. With body and head combinations in the third round, Plata outlanded Clavel.
To the joy of the audience, the action continued in the fourth round. Both had their moments, but Plata had the upper hand. In the fifth round of the battle, Plata drew blood from Clavel's nose! Clavel proceeded to score strong rights in the sixth round of the fight. In the final thirty seconds, Plata once more caused Clavel's nose to bleed.
Both boxers alternated winning the seventh round, with Clavel cornering Plata at the final buzzer. Clavel had her finest round in the eighth round because the audience was so engaged. In the ninth round, there was nonstop action, with Clavel leading Plata until the final horn.
It was a severe battle in the tenth and final round, with Plata switching to the southpaw stance in the last thirty seconds. Both Clavel and Plata deserve to lose this battle because Clavel appeared to be engaged in combat while Plata was unmarked. Alain Villenevue served as the referee.
Image Credit: ESPN