Ayala retains title in decision over Bredahl

Tim Dahlberg

Sunday, March 5, 2000 | 10:09 a.m.

Johnny Bredahl traveled a long way and took a lot of punches to earn $10,000 Saturday night.

He had planned to go back to Denmark with Paulie Ayala's WBA batamweight title. But Ayala made sure that didn't happen in taking a majority 12-round decision to retain his 122-pound crown.

Ayala, in a fight that was scored surprisingly close, landed the harder punches, but had problems finding Bredahl as he danced around the ring.

Ayala was a 17-1 favorite against Bredahl, who had lost only once in his career but had fought outside of Denmark only two times.

Bredahl fought gamely and tried to use a height and reach advantage against Ayala. But Ayala was the aggressor the entire way and landed the far heavier punches, despite having to chase Bredahl almost the entire fight.

"He was moving pretty good, hard to catch," Ayala said. "He's a very awkward, tough fighter."

The only knockdown came in the second round when a left hand put Bredahl into the ropes and on the canvas. He complained it was only a slip, but referee Richard Steele ruled otherwise.

"I had hoped to win. I think I did well tonight," said Bredahl, who left the ring in disgust after the decision was announced. "I was ready and very confident and expected a victory."

Judge Chuck Giampa had Ayala winning 115-113, while Al Siciliano had it 116-111. Judge Guillermo Perez had it even, 114-114. The Associated Press had Ayala winning 118-110.

"He slowed down in the fight and I was able to land some combinations," Ayala said.

Ayala, 117 1/2 , of Fort Worth, Texas, was making the second defense of the title he won from Johnny Tapia in June 1999.

Ayala earned $150,000 for the title defense, while Bredahl, 118, was paid $10,000.

In a fight between two veteran boxers, Oba Carr of Detroit stopped Mexico's Yory Boy Campas at the end of the eighth round of a scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout.

Carr, needing a win to possible get a shot at the IBF welterweight title that Felix Trinidad is expected to vacate, used a left hook that landed at almost every opportunity to close both the eyes of Campas.

"I was going to do whatever it took to win because I want to fight for the vacant IBF title," Carr said.

Carr, 149 1/2, improved to 50-3-1, while Campas, 151, dropped to 74-4.

Both fighters were penalized for fouls in the fight, which was finally stopped when the corner of Campas asked referee Mitch Halpern to call the bout after the eighth round.

Carr was well ahead on all three ringside scorecards when it was stopped.

In another fight, heavyweight Butterbean needed only two punches to stop George Linberger of Akron, Ohio, at 19 seconds of the first round.

Butterbean's first punch, a right to the body, was followed by a left hook that sent Linberger sprawling on the canvas. He got up, but was wobbly and referee Jay Nady waved the fight to an end.

Butterbean, who fights only four-round bouts, weighed 330 to 263 for Linberger. Butterbean, of Jasper, Ala., improved to 53-1-2, while Linberger fell to 18-5-1.