Brandon Moore Beats Count at 18, Wins DQ in Eighth Round of Bizarre Heavyweight Bout
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Flint, Michigan (February 3rd, 2025)– In the co-main event of a 10 bout card at Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan, on Sunday, January 2, 2025, Brandon Moore won the vacant International Boxing Federation USBA Heavyweight title with an eighth round disqualification over the previously undefeated Skylar Lacy, after both fighters tumbled through the ropes and wiped out a table, prompting an eventual disqualification by referee Steve Willis.
The ending of the bout was reminiscent of the Oleg Maskaev versus Hasim Rahman I bout in November 1999 at Convention hall in Atlantic City, when Maskaev knocked Rahman through the ropes unconscious, taking out a table at ringside in the 1999 knockout of the year. This time, however, Lacy had already had two points deducted for holding, Moore one point deducted, when Lacy wrestled Moore through the ropes with a boom! Referee Steve Willis began the out of ring 20 count. Moore rolled back inside the ring at 18. Lacy got 20 counted out. After a brief moment of ringside reconsideration and review, Lacy, 8-1-2 with six knockouts, Indianapolis, Indiana, was disqualified for wrestling and pushing Moore, 17-1 with 10 knockouts, Lakeland, Florida, and himself through the ropes and out of the ring.
The bout had featured extensive wrestling, holding and bullying tactics on both sides, so the final outcome was more the progressive culmination of the way the bout had gone all along, rather than a one time occurrence. The bizarre ending to the USBA heavyweight bout upstaged Claressa Shields versus Daniel Perkins female world heavyweight title bout which followed.
Result: Brandon Moore Win Disqualification 8 Skylar Lacy, Heavyweights (0:51)
Moore wins vacant IBF USBA Heavyweight title
Lacy was disqualified after wrestling and pushing himself and Moore through the ring ropes and out of the ring. Moore beat the out of ring count at 18. Lacy was 20 counted out.
Lacy lost two points for holding, Moore one point. Referee: Steve Willis
IBF USBA Supervisor: George Martinez
Other Co-Main Event Result
Claressa Shields Win 10 Daniel Perkins, Heavyweights (two minute rounds)
Shields retains WBC & WBF, Wins Vacant IBF and WBO Female World Heavyweight titles
Perkins was knocked down in the tenth round. Referee: Benjamin Rodriguez. WBC Supervisor: Frank Garza. IBF Supervisor: George Martinez 100-89, 99-90, 97-92 for Shields.
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