On a significant boxing night in New York, featuring the highly anticipated Taylor-Serrano III bout, the undercard presented a compelling clash of styles between Somalia`s Ramla Ali and Brazil`s Lila Furtado. The eight-round contest in the preliminary portion delivered action, but the resulting decision left many observers scratching their heads.
Ramla Ali, known for her more polished, technical approach, faced the relentless, aggressive pressure of Lila Furtado. From the outset, the stylistic contrast was apparent. Ali sought to box at range, utilizing her skills, while Furtado aimed to close the distance and unleash furious bursts of offense, particularly targeting the body.
A key moment arrived in the second round when Ali landed a solid right hand that visibly troubled Furtado, briefly sending her off balance. The Brazilian, however, demonstrated considerable grit, weathering the impact and immediately resuming her forward march. This resilience became a defining characteristic of her performance.
As the rounds progressed, Furtado`s constant pressure seemed to disrupt Ali`s rhythm. While Ali landed cleaner single shots at times, Furtado`s volume and persistent aggression appeared, to many eyes, to control the narrative of several rounds. Furtado`s corner repeatedly urged her to maintain the relentless attack and focus on the body, a tactic that seemed effective in wearing down her opponent.
The fight wasn`t without its rough patches. Furtado`s aggressive style sometimes led to heads coming together, though referee Sparkle Lee allowed them to work relatively close. In the eighth and final round, Ali sustained a notable cut above her left eye, a testament to the physically demanding nature of the encounter.
Upon the final bell, the judges` scorecards were tallied: 77-75, 77-75, and 78-74, all in favor of Ramla Ali. The unanimous decision was immediately met with surprise and disagreement among large sections of the viewing public and boxing analysts. Commentators, including former multiple world champion Andre Ward, openly expressed their belief that Furtado had done enough to win the fight, stating bluntly, “All respect to Ramla Ali, but she didn`t win that fight.”
During the post-fight interview, interviewer Ariel Helwani directly conveyed the widespread sentiment to Ali that many felt she had lost. Ali handled the awkward moment with composure, suggesting that perhaps the moment of hurting Furtado in round two had significantly influenced the judges` perception – a classic example of a knockdown or near-knockdown swaying a close round`s scoring.
Regardless of the debate surrounding the scoring, the official records reflect the outcome. Ramla Ali improved her professional record to 10-2 with 2 KOs, while Lila Furtado`s record dropped to 11-3 with 2 KOs. The bout served as a stark reminder that in the subjective world of professional boxing, the official scores do not always align with the consensus view from outside the ring.
