\n<\/p>\n
Britain’s Ramla Ali lost to Yamileth Mercado on a unanimous points decision as the Mexican retained her WBC World Super Bantamweight title in Arizona. <\/b><\/p>\n
Ali, 34, was aiming for a maiden world title in Pheonix, but Mercado defended her title for a seventh time with the judges scoring 98-92, 98-93, 97-93 in the 26-year-old’s favour.<\/p>\n
Mercado, who has owned the belt since 2019, started the brighter and stifled Ali’s counter-punching in the later rounds to take the victory.<\/p>\n
“Didn’t get the result tonight but still got the love,” Ali wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
“I wish Yamileth all the best and her judges.”<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Britain’s Sunny Edwards returned to winning ways after a unanimous points victory of his own against Mexican flyweight Adrian Curiel.<\/p>\n
Edwards, who was beaten for the first time in his career against Jesse Rodriguez in December, scored 90-82, 88-84, 87-85 with the judges.<\/p>\n
But the bout was ended prematurely, before the ninth round, when the ringside doctor ordered the referee to stop the fight due to a cut on Edwards’ right eye.<\/p>\n
The cut was opened in the sixth round after an accidental clash of heads between the pair. The decision was met by boos by fans, leaving Edwards puzzled.<\/p>\n
“I don\u2019t know if the crowd realises what happened, but I had nothing to do with this,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The referee stopped the fight. I\u2019m more upset than any of the 10,000 fans. I thought I was going to get him out of here.”<\/p>\n
Following up his win against Edwards in December, Rodriguez continued his unbeaten record with a knockout win against Juan Estrada.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old became the new new WBC and Ring Magazine super flyweight world champion with a devastating body punch in the seventh round. <\/p>\n
“I saw the way he was rolling on the floor,” said Rodriguez. “I knew that was it.”<\/p>\n
The American did have to survive a knockdown of his own in the fifth round, hitting the canvas for the first time in his professional career. <\/p>\n
“I got dropped for the first time – that was crazy,” Rodriguez said.<\/p>\n
“I just got caught with a punch. The next thing you know I was on the floor, but I’ve always wanted to experience that.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n