American Kenny Mitchell retained his junior featherweight title in the World Boxing Organization with a unanimous decision over South African challenger Simon Skofana in a lackluster bout Saturday night.
Mitchell dominated throughout the fight at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum and the judges, all from Puerto Rico, gave him a wide margin of victory.Judge Samuel Conde scored it 119-110, judge Juan Baez 119-113 and Antonio Salcevo 119-114.
Mitchell opened a cut on Skofana's right eyebrow late in the sixth round, but it was not clear whether it was from a headbutt or a punch.
He reopened the cut in the eighth round, but the crowd started booing at points because of the lackluster performance by the two fighters.
Although Skofana hit Mitchell with several flurries in the 11th and 12th rounds, Mitchell's domination was complete.
The crowd started booing and began chanting the name of the referee, Wilson Fernandez, also from Puerto Rico.
In other bouts, South African heavyweight Pierre Coetzer stopped American Bobby Hitz at 2:59 of the first round with a shot to the liver that crumpled the Chicagoan in his own corner.