Paez Pushed, but Retains IBF Title

Jorge Paez, who escaped with a draw the last time he fought Louie Espinoza, rallied in the last half of the fight Saturday to win a 12-round split decision over Espinoza and retain his International Boxing Federation featherweight title.

Paez, winning for the second consecutive time by split decision, successfully defended his 126-pound title for the seventh time.

Paez took six of the last seven rounds on the cards of two judges to beat Espinoza. They fought to a draw in May during their first meeting for the IBF title.

“I didn’t feel I won decisively, but I knew in the final round I had won,” the flamboyant Paez said. “It wasn’t easy.”

Paez trailed on all three scorecards before beginning to find the range midway through the fight and seemed to wear down the challenger.

Judges Patricia Jarman and Jerry Roth both had Paez winning, 115-113, while Dalby Shirley had Espinoza winning by the same margin.

The split decision was the second in two months for Paez, who narrowly beat Troy Dorsey on Feb. 4.

“This time I really worked at it because I knew who the opponent was,” Paez (35-2-2) said. “I knew this fight would be very dangerous.”

It was the 26th consecutive victory for Paez, 24.

Espinoza, whose lightly regarded World Boxing Organization featherweight title also was at stake, built an early lead with some effective combinations against Paez.

But the fight turned in the middle rounds and Paez seemed the stronger fighter the rest of the way. Both fighters weighed the class limit of 126 pounds.

“In the middle rounds I felt I coasted,” Espinoza (35-4-1) said. “I tired a little bit, but then I picked it up in the later rounds.”

Espinoza, who was leading on all three scorecards going into the final round of their first bout, needed to win the final round this time to gain another draw.

But Paez proved to be the fresher fighter and used a rally over the last minute of the fight to win the round on all three scorecards.

Paez earned $110,000 and Espinoza $45,000.