Fans in Washington D.C. on Friday night, February 23, were treated to an epic Junior Welterweight title fight between hometown hero Lamont Peterson and New Jersey native Kendall Holt. Peterson, coming off an extended layoff and a steroids controversy, started the night slowly, but once he warmed up, he poured on the pressure and dominated the fight, eventually scoring an 8th round TKO victory over the game but exhausted Holt.
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Peterson vs. Holt Videos
Both men began the fight throwing big bombs, looking to establish his own power. Holt was using his jab, and was getting off first. He was continually the man dictating the action. In the 2nd, he landed a series of double left hook combinations which found their mark, cemeting the fact that he was controlling the early stanzas.
By the 3rd, Peterson began to get some solid inside work in, landing thudding body shots, and roughing Holt up in clinches. It was still Holt’s round, and he was the crisper, sharper fighter, but one could sense a change of momentum coming.
In the 4th, the two were trading brutal blows to the body, and Holt was seeming to land more punches than Peterson, although both were getting good work in. It seemed as if Peterson could even be wearing down, and the crowd was nervous watching it happen.
Then he landed a huge right hand, which turned not only the round, but changed the fight. The series would see Holt down to the canvas, badly hurt.
Peterson carried the 5th in a big way as Holt hadn’t recovered from the previous round’s damage. Chants of “D.C.!” went through the air as Peterson went after his man in a dominant round. Peterson continued in the 6th, eventually sending Holt down for the second time of the evening. He was hurt, and he was exhausted, and he didn’t appear to have much left.
Holt wisely did his best to buy time in the 7th, holding Peterson and clinching in every way he could, but in the 8th, Peterson would have enough. He trapped Holt in the corner and kept on throwing until the fight was waved off by referee Tony Weeks. Perhaps a bit of a premature stoppage in that series, although not in the greater context of the previous few rounds.
Ultimately, Holt’s fast start was erased. Once Peterson found his rhythm and shook off the ring rust, he really turned it on in full force, threw bombs, and closed the show.
ProBoxing-Fans.com had Peterson up 67-64 through 7 rounds. Holt had built a 30-27 lead by winning the first three rounds of the fight, before succumbing to Peterson.
