Nico Ali Walsh is back in the win column.
Walsh defeated Noel Lafargue by split-decision Saturday night at the Palais Du Peuple in Conakry, Guinea. One judge scored the bout 58-56 for Lafargue, while the other two judges scored the bout 60-54 and 58-56 for Walsh, who improved to 9-1 1 No Contest, 5 knockouts.
Both had their moments in the back-and-forth, but Walsh was the more-effective fighter and outlanded Lafargue, in terms of who landed the harder punches.
The victory over Lafargue took place less than three months after Walsh lost by majority decision to once-beaten Sona Akale in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Back on May 20, which took place in his hometown of Las Vegas, Walsh fought to a split-decision draw against Danny Rosenberger. Over three months after the Rosenberger fight, the Nevada Athletic Commission ruled the fight a no contest after random drug testing results revealed elevated levels of testosterone in the sample provided by Rosenberger.
Walsh, a 23-year-old who competes as a middleweight, has fought under the Top Rank banner since making his pro debut in August 2021.
Muhammad Ali fought and stopped George Foreman in October 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Walsh is a grandson to Ali.
“It was a great development fight for Nico against a tough opponent,” Evan Korn, who is a publicist and matchmaker at Top Rank, told BoxingScene. “Additionally, the people of Guinea embraced Nico and his family. A memorable experience in and out of the ring.”
Lafargue, who resides in Morcenx, France, falls to 9-3-1, 3 KOs. The 34-year-old was unbeaten in his previous three fights entering the Walsh fight.
The Walsh-Lafargue fight took place on a WBA KO drugs card.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing