Bruce Carrington (16-0, 9 KOs) used his boxing skills to defeat the heavy-handed Mateus Heita (14-1, 9 KOs), winning a wide 12-round unanimous decision to win the WBC interim featherweight title on Saturday night at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City.
Carrington, 28, thought better than to brawl with the more powerful Heita, and chose to stick and move all night. It worked perfectly with winning a wide decision by the scores 119-109, 119-109, and 120-108.
Heita landed well when Carrington stopped moving, but he didn’t have enough opportunities. He should have taken more chances to make it an exciting fight.
“I wanted to show that I can go the full 12 rounds. I showed that championship level through those 12 rounds. I feel good. I feel in shape. I feel sharp and ready for that next level,” said Carrington in the post-fight interview.
Carrington’s Unengaging Boxing Style
That was NOT an impressive performance by Carrington. He moved too much and wasn’t willing to engage during long stretches in each round. His performance was a lot like Xander Zayas in the main event. It was too much running and holding.
“I’m ready. I’ve been calling out all the champions. They already know. I see [WBO featherweight champion Rafael] Espinoza in the crowd. I want to fight him. I want to fight Nick Ball. I want to fight Stephen Fulton.”
It’s doubtful that Top Rank will allow Carrington anywhere near Espinoza. His offense, bravery, and talent would be too much for Carrington. Top Rank will focus on the easiest option, Fulton, who can’t punch and wouldn’t be the same kind of threat.
All of Top Rank’s fighters have won tonight, which says a lot about the matchmaking being done. No drama. Not one upset.
Carrington should have been in with a better fighter than Heita, who was picked from near the bottom of the rankings to be the B-side opponent tonight.
Last Updated on 07/27/2025
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