By Scott Gilfoid: International Boxing Federation bantamweight champion Lee Haskins (33-3, 14 KOs) defeated 36-year-old former IBF 118lb champion Stuart Hall (20-4-2, 7 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night in their rematch at the O2 Arena in London, England.
The judges scored the fight 115-113, 117-111, and 116-112. I personally had the fight scored a draw, but I had my wide eyes open and was noting the cleaner shots that Hall was landing in the contest. The power was definitely on Hall’s side in this fight. It’s never easy to beat the champion.
Haskins also beat Hall by a 12 round unanimous decision four years ago in 2012, and did a much job of it in that fight than he did tonight. I’m not sure what’s up with Haskins. He’s supposed to be the younger fighter, but Hall looked and fought like the younger guy tonight. I’m just saying.
You’ve got to feel sorry for Hall, because the guy fought his guts out tonight trying to get the win only to see himself getting beaten yet again. I’m not sure if it’s even worth it for him to try and push for a third fight, because it seems like Hall would need to score some knockdowns or a knockout to have to get the victory. He certainly didn’t get the benefit of the doubt tonight, did he? I mean, I saw six rounds that I clearly had Hall winning in this fight. Those clear rounds. I don’t know what fight the three judges were watching, but it couldn’t have been this one because Hall should have gotten a draw if not the win. He was the guy that was pushing the fight for 12 rounds, and landing all the harder blows.
It’s hard to know where Hall can go from here. It’s just a pity, really. He’s getting up there in age at this point. Maybe it’s time to hang up the gloves?