Jono Carroll Wins in Florida To Guarantee WBA World Title Shot

Jono Carroll after his victory (Photo Triller Fight Club)

Sept. 13 2021 Staff Report

Dublin boxer Jono Carroll has secured a second world title shot after defeating Andy Vences in a grueling encounter in Florida Saturday.

The super featherweight defeated the American by a majority decision victory after 10 rounds on the Legends II Triller card in Hollywood. The judges scored it 97-93, 97-93, 95-95.

The main event saw Vitor Belfort easily defeat Evander Holyfield.

The Finglas man 20-2-1 (5) had to dig deep but has now moved into mandatory status for a WBA world title bout against the winner of Roger Gutierrez’s upcoming title defense versus Chris Colbert. A date on that bout has not yet been confirmed.

Carroll admitted afterward that he was struggling in round eight with a cut that seriously hampering his vision.

“It was a nightmare,” he told Irish Boxing.com

“I’ve had worse cuts in the past but they were longer and the blood dripped down to the side. This time it was right on the eye bone and it kept dripping on my eye.”

“Every time I blinked I got like a red blur and I couldn’t see anything. Every time I wiped it he kept hitting me with the jab, so I was trying to stay as far away from his as possible. When I walked back to the corner I was just thinking ‘this goal book, I’m not going home’.

“I was thinking ‘I can’t lose this, I’m not tired, I’m 100 percent here. I’m not losing this just because I can’t see’. I decided to close the distance and go to war. My trainer told me I lost the most recent two rounds and I needed to start winning rounds, so I said ‘right do you want me to go to war win?’ and he said ‘right go to war with him’.

“So we just went out there, put the pressure on him and it was perfect, it worked. Those last two rounds won me the fight.”

The bout finally got over the line Saturday after already being postponed twice in June.

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