The fight carried tension before it ever reached the ring. Coe got here in greater than seven kilos over the sunshine heavyweight limit on the weigh in, forfeiting a portion of his purse and igniting a heated exchange that just about turned physical. Hart, the veteran coming back from a layoff, accepted the fight anyway and entered the ring at a transparent size drawback.
Once the bell rang, Hart’s experience showed early. He was the busier fighter through the opening rounds, landing cleaner right hands and forcing exchanges while Coe boxed cautiously. Despite the burden edge, Coe remained tentative and struggled to impose himself, allowing Hart to dictate the tempo.
That pattern largely held through the center rounds. Hart continued to outwork Coe, whilst fatigue became more visible. There have been moments where Hart appeared open and slowing, but Coe did not make the most. Quite than pressing, he circled, waited, and let rounds slip without making a transparent claim to them.
The later rounds followed the same script. Hart stayed lively, landed the more noticeable shots, and closed exchanges with purpose. Coe, needing urgency, remained passive, particularly down the stretch. The ultimate round offered little separation and no decisive push from the younger fighter.
When the scores were announced in Coe’s favor, the response was immediate and skeptical. Hart appeared to have done enough through activity, clean punching, and ring control to earn the choice, even in an unsightly and uneven fight.
Coe leaves with a win on his record, however the performance did little to justify the result. Hart, despite the loss on paper, looked just like the fighter who understood the task and executed it. On an evening that began with controversy, the ending only added to it.