Quartey, Whitaker Survive Knockdowns to Win Decisions

Ike Quartey of Ghana survived an 11th-round knockdown to win a majority decision over Jose Luis Lopez and retain his World Boxing Assn. welterweight title Friday night at Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Quartey (35-0) also took a standing eight-count in the second round. But he dominated the rest of the fight against Lopez (39-4-1) with a crisp jab, keeping his Mexican opponent off balance.

In the co-feature, former world champion Pernell Whitaker won a unanimous decision over Andrei Pestriaev in a welterweight bout.

Two judges scored it 114-113 and the other had it 115-112 for Whitaker (41-2-1), who has held four championship belts. The victory could lead to another title bout for Whitaker, who lost the World Boxing Council welterweight title to Oscar De La Hoya on April 12.

Upset by the scoring, Pestriaev’s promoter, Michel Acaries, went after Whitaker’s trainer, Lou Duva, in the ring at the end of the bout. The two were separated and order was quickly restored.

Whitaker was unhappy with referee Jim Santa.

“It was like fighting two guys, the referee and my opponent,” Whitaker said.

Pestriaev was credited with a knockdown in the 11th round.

While tangled in the ropes, Whitaker appeared to be waiting for Santa to break up the fighters. But Santa allowed the action to continue and Whitaker was hit by a combination that forced him to one knee.