Staff report
Spencer’s Dominic DeSanto fought to a draw with Eliud Torres (Allentown, Pa.) in a junior welterweight matchup that was part of the undercard for Saturday’s IBF World Welterweight title bout between winner Isaac Hlatshwayo and Delvin Rodriguez.
The fights were staged at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn.
DeSanto, a 19-year-old southpaw who went to North Rowan, weighed in at 136 pounds for his four-round matchup.
Both fighters were down on the canvas once. DeSanto knocked Torres off his feet in the first round with a left, but a Torres right floored DeSanto in the third round.
The scorecards of judges Don Trella, Glenn Feldman and Tom Carasone all read 37-37 for a rare unanimous draw.
DeSanto’s pro record is 2-1-1. Torres is 2-1-2.
DeSanto was in action for the first time since April 28 when his bout with New York’s Ashantie Hendrickson in the Big Apple was ruled a no-contest after DeSanto was head-butted by Hendrickson.
DeSanto, according to his father, Dave, was in firm control of that bout despite numerous head butts and low blows when his forehead was split open above the left eye by a head butt in the third round.
The cut required four stitches inside and 11 outside and was a severe enough wound that DeSanto was given a 90-day medical suspension. He was released from his mandatory hiatus on July 28.
DeSanto opened his young pro career with TKO victories against James Justice and Tabron Farmer in Charlotte.
He lost to veteran Jason Jordan at Charlotte’s Betty Rae Thomas Center in a scrap for the North Carolina Light Welterweight crown last December.