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In front of 9,000 screaming fans at a packed 02 Arena in Dublin, Ireland, local hero Bernard Dunne upset the odds in a big way by taking the WBA Super Bantam title from Panamanian southpaw Ricardo Cordoba in once of the most competitive and ferocious fights in a very long time.
Cordoba won the first frame with good counter hooks and straight lefts as Dunne studied the champion. Dunne had a better second round as he largely kept away from Cordoba’s power shots except for a few lefts while getting in a few good lead right hands of his own.
The third was Cordoba’s round for all but the last thirty seconds as the champion began to come forward and Dunne struggled to adjust until the challenger uncorked a perfect counter left hook that caused Cordoba to reel all the way across the ring before he crumpled along the ropes.
The Panamanian got right back up, beating the count but was on shaky legs as he vigorously traded shots with Dunne until the bell rang ending the third frame.
Cordoba completely recovered by the start of the fourth and was more measured, trying to catch Dunne on the way in. The challenger showed maturity by waiting until the champion’s big swings created more openings and when that happened, Dunne shook Cordoba with another counter left hook right on the button.
Cordoba became more defensive, giving ground slightly, and presented Dunne with a less wide-open target. Cordoba began to tie up Dunne on the inside and soon an accidental clash of heads left Dunne with a cut above his left eye.
Emboldened, Cordoba went right after his quarry, looking to worsen the laceration with long right jabs and succeed in turning the tide back in his favor. Dunne managed to back off the champion with a few good shots upstairs and down and fought at range the rest of the round, trying to protect his injury.
The fifth began with Dunne landing a hard jab that shook up Cordoba, who fell after getting tangled in Dunne’s feet but it was ruled not a knockdown.
Cordoba got back up and the action moved to the inside with both men landing spearing bodyshots. Cordoba began to drive Dunne back and forced the Dubliner to clinch after scoring with a good right hook.
Cordoba shook Dunne again with a right hook at the end of an exchange and punished Dunne on the ropes, dropping the challenger with a roundhouse left hand.
Dunne beat the count and came out meeting Cordoba’s assault head on as they traded bombs between instances of clinching. Dunne got caught again with a winging right hook and was on shaky legs as Cordoba moved in and dropped him with another wide right hand.
This time Dunne rose unsteadily but managed to beat the count again. Cordoba came in hard, looking to end this dangerous bout but somehow Dunne managed to keep away from the champion and clinch.
But when Cordoba caught up with Dunne on the ropes, he nearly ended matters in the closing seconds as he teed off with both hands and only the bell saved Dunne from a referee stoppage.
Dunne’s corner took an extra ten seconds to clear the ring at the start of the sixth, giving their man precious time to clear his head.
Cordoba came out aggressive as expected and soon had Dunne on the ropes again before a clinch broke up the assault. The champion got shook up again by a Dunne jab and went tentative, waiting for the challenger to come to him.
Dunne obliged and regained control of the bout with a good counter left hook that had Cordoba trying to dance out of range. The action became messy as Dunne started winging wide knockout shots on the way in and the two became tangled when the punches missed.
The challenger drove Cordoba back onto the ropes in a punishing sequence and Cordoba was suddenly cut above his right eye. Dunne became more composed, working his way in rather than rushing and it paid off as he scored with a good left hook, right hand combo.
Cordoba was cornered but fought his way out to begin a battle of jabs before Dunne shook up the champion with a nice lead right before the bell saved Cordoba from further punishment.
The seventh saw both fighters have their successes early on in the battle to control the momentum but when Dunne started winging wide shots like Cordoba things became messy again with a lot of tangles and clinching.
Cordoba began to surge forward but Dunne managed to slip all of the left and right roundhouse hooks. Dunne then took advantage of the tiring Cordoba by picking his spots and banging the champion with sharp counters. The combatants traded big shots over the last few seconds of the frame, much to the delight of the screaming fans in attendance.
The eighth began with Cordoba coming forward but Dunne stayed away, keeping at range and waiting for the moment to strike. The engagements started and the action was ragged, with big punches and a lot of clinches from both men.
Dunne got the better of the battles in the second half of the frame when he slowed down and began to time his shots. An exhausted Cordoba was on shaky legs but finished the round.
Cordoba surprisingly came out strong to open the ninth but was soon slowed down when he was timed with by Dunne. Dunne continued to pick off the always punching champion, catching the Panamanian with sharp counters but Cordoba kept up the high work rate.
The diligence paid off as Cordoba got some room from a sharp uppercut but soon the punishment from Dunne continued and Cordoba’s legs started to look shaky again.
The rest of the round was a two way street with each man landing big single shots but neither could take control of the last minute and the round ended with a touching of the gloves.
Cordoba somehow found the will to come out strong again for the tenth, putting Dunne on the ropes and bashing up the Irishman until Dunne clinched. Cordoba pressed even harder and was forcing Dunne back with success until the challenger began to stand his ground, shaking Cordoba with hard rights.
But still Cordoba came forward and the bombs flew from the rivals in a bruising round that tested the will of both. Dunne picked up a cut in the corner of his right eye and looked to be wilting under Cordoba’s unrelenting two-handed fury, now focusing on the body.
Cordoba put Dunne on the ropes and doled out a load of punishment, sinking in hurtful body shots until Dunne fought his way back to center ring. The rest of the frame was sheer trench warfare but Cordoba seemed to end the round with the momentum as Dunne looked drained.
Cordoba again came out on fire but this time Dunne met it head on and the slugfest continues. Cordoba tries to steamroll his adversary but Dunne won’t bend and keep up the counters to the champion’s constant stream of punches.
Dunne shakes Cordoba with a lunging left hook right before a clinch and Cordoba emerges on shaky legs, backing onto the ropes where a Dunne combination sends the champion to the canvas.
Cordoba somehow manages to beat the count but looks shattered and close to being out on his feet as Dunne sends him to the floor again with a hard left hook at the end of a three punch combo.
Incredibly, Cordoba gets back up and the fight goes on. Dunne runs across the ring and somehow Cordoba takes a flush left hook. The champion backs onto the ropes and catches Dunne on the way in but there’s nothing on the shot.
In the closing seconds, Dunne pummels Cordoba, who falls hard to the floor and the fight is over as time runs out in the eleventh.
In an incredible display of heart, will and sheer toughness from both fighters, Bernard Dunne emerges from a once in a lifetime battle to become the new WBA Super Bantamweight Champion.
