Heavyweight Whitaker Outlasted in 1st Loss

Heavyweight Lance Whitaker of Granada Hills suffered his first loss in 19 professional fights when veteran Lou Savarese rallied to claim a 10-round split-decision victory Saturday night at the Boardwalk Convention Center in Atlantic City.

In a battle between towering fighters, the 6-foot-8, 249-pound Whitaker floored the 6-5, 254-pound Savarese in the sixth round with a barrage of head punches. Whitaker landed 61 of 122 punches thrown in the round.

But Whitaker punched himself out and threw only 35 punches the next round.

The more experienced Savarese built a solid lead in the first five rounds and held his own in the four rounds following the knockdown.

Whitaker, billed as “Mount Whitaker,” said he thought he’d won the fight and that Savarese didn’t beat the count of 10. Savarese, however, watched referee Steve Smoger make the count while resting on a knee and he appeared to get up at eight.

Savarese, a New Yorker living in Houston, won by four points on one card and two on another. Whitaker won by one point on the third card.

Savarese is 39-2 with 32 knockouts. Whitaker is 18-1 with 16 knockouts.

The fight was on the undercard of the David Reid-Laurent Boudouani World Boxing Assn. super-welterweight championship fight. Reid won by unanimous decision.