Germany’s Abass Baraou (17-1, 9 KOs) delivered the efficiency of his profession on Saturday night time, outworking and outgunning Cuba’s beforehand unbeaten Yoenis Téllez (10-1, 8 KOs) to grab the WBA interim tremendous welterweight title after twelve thrilling rounds on the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
The Togolese-born fighter fought with urgency and dedication from the outset, making use of regular stress that compelled Téllez to retreat for lengthy stretches. That ahead momentum allowed Baraou to dictate the exchanges in what changed into a high-volume, high-drama battle. Judges had it 117-110, 115-112, and 116-111, all in favor of the brand new champion.
Whereas the Cuban was considered the favourite coming in, Baraou’s persistence neutralized his rhythm and chipped away spherical by spherical. By the championship phases, the German had constructed a commanding lead. And within the twelfth, he put an exclamation level on the night time—flooring Téllez with a blistering, prolonged mixture simply earlier than the ultimate bell.
It was the defining second of Baraou’s profession, incomes him not simply the black-and-gold belt, but additionally the highlight as one of the vital harmful gamers at 154 kilos. For Téllez, the loss meant not solely surrendering his interim title but additionally the primary blemish on his document after ten straight victories.
On a stacked Orlando card, Baraou stood out because the star of the night time, cementing his place among the many division’s elite.