By Jake Donovan

At the close of the 12th and final round, Jose Pedraza got exactly what he expected from Edner Cherry -  a tough, close fight from a durable veteran challenger. Their respective styles meshed well for a competitive Showtime-televised co-feature at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Perhaps an easier night at the office would have been preferred, but at no point was Pedraza concerned about relinquishing his title; not even as ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. grabbed the mic to read the final scores. 

“I won the fight.  It was a very tight fight and very hard fight, but I definitely won the fight,” Pedraza (21-0, 12KOs) believed, offering a brave performance in fighting through swelling around his right eye for most of the bout. “I was very calm when they were reading the scores because I knew I won.  He held me a lot during the fight.”

One judge had Cherry ahead 116-112, but was overruled by matching scores of 117-111 in favor of Pedraza, who made the first defense of the super featherweight title he claimed in June. 

As for what's next, that will depend on when the switch-hitting boxer from Cidra, Puerto Rico is able to return and what his handlers have in store.

There were talks prior to the fight of eyeing unification bouts with Takashi Uchiyama, Takashi Miura and Javier Fortuna. All are makeable fight, particularly Fortuna as both fighters are advised by Al Haymon. 

A more likely scenario would be an eventual mandatory title defense versus Stephen Smith, who knocked out Devis Boschiero in the 6th round of their title eliminator in September.  Smith fights under the Matchroom Boxing, the promotional giant in the United Kingdom who has done plenty of business with Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions fighters in recent months. 

If the challenger gets his way, then next up for Pedraza would be a rematch. The defending champion is receptive to the idea, although it will come on his own terms.

“If he wants a rematch we’ll give it to him, but he has to wait,” insists Pedraza, who will need time for his eye to heal up, as will Cherry, who suffered a cut over his left eye. “I’m the champion so he has to wait. I’m going to stay at 130 and we’ll be off until January.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of krikya360.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene