Physical toughness was the winning factor for "Swift" Jarrett Hurd as he battered Austin "No Doubt" Trout to get a TKO after ten rounds of boxing!
Jarrett Hurd became the IBF champion on February 25 by stopping Tony Harrison (25-2, 20 KOs) in the ninth round in Birmingham, Alabama. The Accokeek, Maryland, jr. middleweight wanted the former champion, Austin Trout to be his opponent for his first title defense. The 154-pound title fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY was a very exciting battle of two fighters putting on a action packed contest until the very end.
It has been seventeen months of inactivity for the veteran Austin Trout who started this championship contest just as he planned by being first to establish himself using combinations to win rounds. Trout's left and right hand seemed to work and he was also able to slip inside the guard of Hurd to land a uppercut or two. The former champion was able to keep Hurd off balance in the early rounds.
The champion Jarrett Hurd showed why he is the strong young lion he has proven to be by coming back with his own showcase of power punches. Trout looked to be tiring late in the sixth-round when Hurd landed a left, right combination that sent Trout staggering backwards into the ropes. Hurd's punch output was rising while Trout's dropped.
In the early part of the seventh-round a cut was opened over the left eye of Hurd from a accidental headbutt. The cut seemed to be the spark that ignited the fire of Hurd. It was Hurd coming straight forward and throwing nothing but power punches. As the round ended the right eye of Trout was starting to swell.
Before the action started in round eight both fighters had their eyes examined by the ringside physicians. Both fighters were given the okay to continue. Hurd came out with more of the same power shots. It was a straight right hand that wobbled Trout sending him against the ropes. Hurd landed another right hand that pretty much started to drained the energy out of Trout.
It was just pure power and durability of the younger, stronger Hurd that was the dominating factor in rounds nine and ten. Trout was just too battered walking back to his corner with a swollen and closed right eye. The corner of Trout, along with the ringside physician decided that Trout shouldn't continue on after the tenth round.
Jarrett Hurd makes the first defense of his IBF junior middleweight title by remaining undefeated at (21-0, 15 KO's) while the tough Austin Trout suffers his first defeat by stoppage and falls to (31-4, 17 KO's).
"It's most definitely tougher to defend the title than win it," Hurd said. "I'm always the one that comes on stronger at the end of the fight. We knew we were going to wear Austin Trout down in the later rounds and eventually stop him. My cut made me a little better with my head movement.
"Team Swift, we don't run from anyone. I'm ready to unify. 2018 is the year for unifications. It doesn't matter who it is. I'm ready to fight anyone."