Paez Retains IBF Featherweight Title With Draw

Jorge Paez didn’t agree with the decision. He did, however, like the result.

Paez retained his International Boxing Federation featherweight title Sunday with a 12-round draw against Troy Dorsey, a fighter he beat five months ago on a controversial split decision.

“If the judges don’t think I’m a winner, it’s not my fault,” Paez said. “The only thing I can say is I’ve got my belt and I’ll take it home.”

Paez bloodied Dorsey and closed his right eye, but the relentless Dorsey pulled out the final round on all three scorecards to salvage a draw.

It was the third consecutive close decision for Paez, who won his last two title defenses by split decisions before narrowing the margin even more with the draw.

“What can I say?” the Mexican champion said. “You saw the fight. I don’t think the judges saw the fight.”

Dorsey, 125 3/4, of Dallas, won most of the early rounds and was leading on all the scorecards as late as the seventh round. He also thought the judges were seeing the wrong fight.

“I don’t see how he got the (draw),” Dorsey said. “He was throwing punches, but I was throwing punches and I had him on the ropes.”

Paez, 126, making the eighth defense of his IBF 126-pound title in 23 months, said the fight may be his last at that weight.

Paez appeared stronger than the challenger and landed the more effective punches, but Dorsey threw far more punches in an all-out assault for 12 rounds.

Judge Dalby Shirley agreed with Dorsey, scoring the fight in his favor, 116-112. Judge Jerry Roth had Paez winning, 115-113. Judge Keith Macdonald saw it 114-114.

The Associated Press had Paez ahead, 118-110.

Paez (35-2-3) earned $110,000 for the bout, which drew 4,421 to the Las Vegas Hilton. Dorsey (11-3-3) was paid $50,000.