Correa Wins Split Decision in Main Event

No one was surprised that Thursday night’s main event at the Battle of the Ballroom went the full eight rounds.

But few expected the final result.

Punching furiously, Isreal Correa of Mexico won a split decision over Naoya Hirahara of Japan in front of 1,491 at the Irvine Marriott. Correa won on two judges’ cards, 79-77 and 78-73, and Hirahara won, 76-75, on the other.

Correa (6-2), came into the bout with just one knockout, but he stood toe to toe in the final rounds with Hirahara, (11-4-2), who was almost as relentless.

Correa staggered Hirahara as the opening round closed, setting the stage for a punch-fest the rest of the way. Correa was only in trouble in the fourth round, but Hirahara had a point taken away for a low blow.

“I was in very good shape and I could take a punch,” Correa, 23, said.

Hirahara’s corner said that it wasn’t surprised by Correa’s counterpunching and that it expected a tough fight, but wasn’t happy with the result. Hirahara, 21, had won his three previous Irvine fights.

Light heavyweight Tyrone Bennett (1-1-1) of Tustin appeared to have the upper hand against Alex Virgen (1-0-1) of San Bernardino in their four-round light heavyweight preliminary. He landed several sharp combinations, but a controversial decision turned the match into a majority draw.

Seconds before the second round ended, Virgen tried to pin Bennett against the ropes and Bennett stumbled and fell to the canvas. But referee Jose Cobian, who was screened by the advancing Virgen, ruled it was a knockdown, costing Bennett, the round.

Junior featherweight Eddie Utorov (4-1), fighting out of Las Vegas, picked up his third professional knockout, sending Bobby Valardez (0-1-1) of San Bernardino to the canvas twice in the second round.