Brian Castano And Erislandy Lara Battle To A Draw In New York

Former world champ Erislandy Lara and WBA Super Welterweight titleholder Brian Castaño fought to a 12 round split-decision draw Saturday at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday.

Castaño retained the WBA belt in what was the toughest test of his career against the longtime top 154-pounder.

The judges scored the fight 115-113 (Castaño), 115-113 (Lara) and 114-114.

Castaño (15-0-1, 11 KOs), who was fighting in his first U.S. main event, held a large advantage in power connects (181-103) while Lara (25-3-3, 14 KOs) found success landing his left hand down the middle on his way to a 34 percent accuracy rate.

In the close, difficult-to-score fight, five of the rounds were separated by three or fewer connects and three of those rounds favored Lara. In the final two rounds, Castaño ramped up the pressure and connected on 44 punches, while Lara landed only 24 punches across the championship rounds. Castaño won the final three rounds on all three judges’ scorecards. Without doing so, the Argentine would have lost his belt.

After the fight, both fighters have options, including a rematch, in the talent-rich super welterweight division.

"I know I won the fight. I feel I was robbed," a disappointed Castaño told Showtime, who broadcast the event. "If he wants the rematch, I’ll give him the rematch. I waited for him this time so I can wait for him again if he wants the rematch. I would give him the rematch if he wants. I can also go ahead and fight any other champion that wants to fight me. I’m ready for whoever they put in front of me. Hurd or anyone else."

Lara, on the other hand, felt he did enough to claim the belt: "I thought I won the fight by landing the more accurate and effective punches. Castaño came to fight but he never hurt me and I hurt him. All I can do is give the fans great fights and that’s what I’ll continue to do. I have a lot of fight left in me and I’m not going anywhere.

"If we have to fight him again, I’ll fight him. Hurd or Castaño. Anybody, I’ll have the rematch with both."