Vargas outpoints McDonnell to win vacant WBC 122lb title
Rey Vargas (29-0, 22 KOs) outpointed previously unbeaten Gavin McDonnell (16-1-2, 4 KOs) to win the vacant WBC super bantamweight title at the Ice Arena in Hull.
The Mexican got the better of McDonnell throughout the fight and won a 12 round majority decision by scores of 117-111 and 116-112, while the third judge scored it a controversial 114-114.
Vargas dominated most of the rounds by constantly landing shots and then getting out of the way of McDonnell’s punches.
McDonnell showed his toughness and took the shots well, also landing some solid punches of his own in the later rounds, but by the final bell, Vargas was the clear winner.
The British fighter was attempting to join his twin brother as a world champion. Jamie McDonnell holds the WBA bantamweight title.
Also on the card, British lightweight contender Luke Campbell (16-1, 13 KOs) halted Mexico's Jairo Lopez (21-7, 14 KOs) in the second round.
Campbell dropped Lopez in the first round and finished him with another knockdown in the following session. Campbell retained his WBC silver lightweight title.