After years of searching for a big fight, Lightweight contender Anges ‘Baby Face’ Adjaho was granted his wish with an intriguing match up against dangerous Antonio DeMarco. Adjaho was coming off a victory over former title challenger Fernando Angulo while DeMarco was best known for his dismantling of Almazbek ‘Kid Diamond’ Raiymkulov. The bout was billed as a WBC Lightweight eliminator, with the winner being in line to fight champion Edwin Valero, and you could tell just how important the fight was to each man.

The bout started off very slow, to the crowd’s disapproval, as both men took their time feeling each other out. Adjaho appeared to steal the early rounds because of his right hands but little was happening through two stanzas. Adjaho had a solid round 3 as he began to open up and he had success attacking DeMarco from all angles.           

The fourth was a big round for the Mexican as he finally let loose and tagged Adjaho repeatedly along the ropes. Adjaho’s penchant for clowning around appeared to get the better of him in this round as he was too busy posing and posturing at times as opposed to throwing punches.

The fifth was a tale of two stories as DeMarco had a bright moment early on when he nailed Adjaho with an uppercut and attempted to tee off on the African moments later. Adjaho would recover and go on to control the last two minutes while landing some picturesque right hands from his unorthodox style. Adjaho’s natural talent and freestyle attack was giving DeMarco serious trouble.

Adjaho appeared to be in control in the sixth until a counter left hand from DeMarco stunned him. DeMarco went on the attack thereafter and rallied down the stretch of the round, once again turning the momentum in the fight. Adjaho went back to his corner appearing to be slightly dazed.

Adjaho appeared to get back into his rhythm in the seventh as he started finding a home again with his right hands, especially to the body. DeMarco was inactive until the last ten seconds of the round when he opened up and got the crowd on his side. The round was very close and could have gone either way.

Fireworks took place in the eight as Adjaho flailed away recklessly against DeMarco. Repeated right hands had DeMarco stunned but the he would remain poised and turn the tide on Adjaho late in the round. The round was a back and forth affair and DeMarco could have stolen due to his later round assault.

The conclusion of the bout happened in round 9 when Adjaho was stunned with a punch from DeMarco. Adjaho appeared to be on his way towards taking a knee moments later when DeMarco swarmed him and appeared to punch him in the back of the skull. The punch had a great effect on Adjaho, who fell in the corner. The referee seemed to be in a state of confusion and counted Adjaho out, when he instead should have been penalizing DeMarco for an illegal punch.