Photos: Jaime Arboleda Edges Jayson Velez in Bruising War

PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania - In a WBA super featherweight eliminator, Jaime Arboleda (16-1, 13 KOs) barely survived to win a twelve round split decision over Jayson Velez (29-6-1, 21 KOs). (photos by Amanda Westcott)

The scores were 115-112 for Velez, 114-113 for Arboleda, and 114-113 for Arboleda.

arboleda-velez (28)

Velez was boxing well in the first round. Arboleda was landing well to the body, with Velez getting the better shots to the head. The quicker hands of Velez was finding the mark in the second and third.

arboleda-velez (27)

Velez continued to outland Arboleda in the first two minutes of the fourth, with Arboleda really letting his hands go in the final minute to shake Velez up. In the fifth, Arboleda was starting to land head shots more often and backing Velez up. Velez had his moments at the end of the round.

arboleda-velez (30)

They were trading heavy leather in the sixth, with Arboleda landing the harder shots. Velez appeared to be tiring. By the ninth, Velez got his batteries recharged and he was taking the fight more to Arboleda. In the tenth, Velez rocked Arboleda with several hard shots.

arboleda-velez (32)

The eleventh was close, with both tired and throwing punches in bunches. Velez was going all out in th twelfth, throwing heavy punches to shake up Arboleda. He landed a hard hook to drop Arboleda. He nearly finished Arboleda off, with the hard puncher holding on for dear life until the final bell.

arboleda-velez (33)