Described as lackluster, junior middleweight champion Andreal “Bossman” Holmes, Jr. (16-0, 6 KOs) secured a comfortable yet underwhelming victory in his homecoming bout against Miami-based Cuban fighter Hugo Noriega. The bout, held at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, Michigan, ended with Holmes winning by scores of 97-93 on two scorecards and 96-94 on the third. Though the decision went as expected, the narrow scorelines didn’t fully reflect Holmes’ control throughout the fight, as he barely needed to shift out of first gear to secure the win.
Holmes, a southpaw, established control early, utilizing his jab and movement to keep Noriega (10-3, 5 KOs) at bay. Whenever Noriega tried to close the distance, Holmes deftly used his check hook to pivot out of danger, making it difficult for Noriega to mount any sustained offense. While Holmes’ dominance was clear, the fight lacked the fireworks many had hoped for, as Holmes opted for a more calculated and defensive approach rather than an aggressive offensive display.
Despite the victory, Holmes’ performance was seen as measured and somewhat cautious, leaving fans wanting more from the unbeaten champion in what was expected to be a statement fight in front of his hometown crowd.
In the co-featured bout, Joseph Hicks (11-0, 7 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Mich. outworked Ronnie Austion (10-3, 7 KOs) of Las Vegas, defeating him by unanimous scores of 80-72, 78-74 and 79-73 in a junior middleweight bout.
