Cuban heavyweight contender Lenier Perez (13-0, 8 KOs) stayed unbeaten with a 10-round unanimous decision win over British heavyweight Jordan Thompson (15-2, 12 KOs) in the main event on Saturday night at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
(Credit: Zachariah Delgado Matchroom Boxing)
Thompson’s Slow Start Costs Him Early
Thompson started slow, appearing to give away the first five rounds of the fight before he got relaxed. By the time he started fighting hard, he was already trailing.
The scores were 97-93, 96-93, and 96-93.
What kept Thompson from losing worse was the slow hand speed and the weight that Pero was carrying around. He didn’t look in the best shape. Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has high hopes for Pero, but he didn’t look sharp.
Thompson Hurt Badly in Round Nine
Thompson was hurt in the ninth round from a left hook, followed by a looping right hand from Pero. It would have been worse if he’d been hurt earlier in the ninth rather than late.
“It’s been a long two years out of the ring. I’m just glad to come back and headline a show. Thank you, Eddie, and the team,” said Jordan Thompson to Matchroom Boxing. “They put me back in a great show. It was a great opportunity.”
Thompson was coming off a two-year layoff from his last fight against Jai Opetaia.
“Listen, I thought I was in the fight. I started a little bit late. No problem about that. I fully admit that,” said Thompson. “I definitely felt I was controlling the fight. I had him hurt a few times. “I felt like I took a couple of good shots in there.
“Again, my two years out of the ring. I had a lot of inactivity. I come back from surgery. I come back and bounce off my first loss and come back to a new weight. I felt like I more than held my own in there. I’m definitely not out of my depth
