(APR 1) Keisher "Fire"
McLeod-Wells used her superior reach, faster hands and quicker ring
movement to win a unanimous four round decision over Laura Gomez on
Lou DiBella's six bout program in the intimate setting of B B Kings
Blues Club in Times Square in New York City on Wednesday,
March 31.
McLeod-Wells came to the ring at 112 pounds, three pounds lighter
than her, unbeaten southpaw, opponent from Mexico.
All three judges concurred on a 40-36 verdict for the Brooklyn
fighter who kept Gomez on the end of her left jab for much of the
fight. The shorter Gomez, who gave up several inches to her 5' 8"
opponent, tried, to her credit, to be the aggressor throughout the
bout, but was unable to keep pace with the quicker MeLeod-Wells or
manage to trap the winner on the ropes or in a corner, when Gomez
did manage to close the distance. Gomez was warned twice during the
bout for holding and hitting.
The second round was the Mexican fighter's best and most effectively
aggressive round and a more sympathetic judging pool might had given
Gomez the nod for that round. However, as the round was coming to a
close, Gomez, inexplicably, mistook the ten-second signal for the
bell and turned wearily to her corner, possibly indicating some
fatigue setting in. In a show of sportsmanship, McLeod-Wells did not
throw any punches at Gomez who, back turned, was essentially
defenseless.
Gomez's aggressiveness waned slightly in the third round and
noticeably in the final stanza, while MeLeod-Wells, clearly in top
condition, closed the bout much stronger, particularly in the last
round which was her strongest of the fight. The winner moved her
record to 3-1, while Gomez drops to an identical record after three
decision wins in Mexico.