BAYAMON, Puerto Rico – Danny Garcia (28-0, 16 KOs) was awarded a majority decision over a very game Mauricio Herrera (20-4, 7 KOs) in a less than stunning homecoming display at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum. El Maestro made the 12 rounds relentlessly competitive for the undefeated champion, pressing the action throughout and landing more punches down the stretch.

It would be Garcia’s power punches that would convince two of judges to go his way, in a forgettable performance, particularly for someone who had outthought the feared Lucas Matthysse and dropped his last 5 opponents 7 times going into last night’s bout. Indeed the Philadelphia-born fighter described the top 10 ranked challenger as a “crafty veteran” in his post-fight interview.

The fight began with lively opening exchanges, Herrera going to the body on the inside and working the jab on the outside with Garcia landing the more eye-catching hooks and lead left-hands. By the third round it was clear Herrera was there to out-hustle “Swift” Garcia, beginning to frustrate his younger compatriot.

Herrera had greater success in the fourth, exampled by Angel Garcia’s admonishment of his son following a sterling boxing display. The super lightweight champion seemed content on his back foot, waiting for Herrera to remain in range long enough to land his bruising, hooking combinations.

Herrera continued to make the contest competitive through the middle rounds, walking down his more docile opponent and backing him up with lead left and right straight hands. Garcia’s thudding hooks to the body seemed only to encourage the 33 year old to fight more aggressively, especially in a furious skirmish at the end of the ninth round. The champion would edge the tenth and eleventh rounds with solid if unspectacular work on Herrera as he waited over by the ropes, beckoning the 25 year old to engage him.

Herrera would take the final round, the teak tough challenger finishing as he had fought the previous twelve rounds – with accuracy, tenacity and dexterity. However, as with most fights conducted under an open-scoring system, the true winner of a fight is simply dealt the news of poor scoring in three installments as opposed to one. It is easier to condition spectators and TV viewers to accept an errant or unpopular decision if it is diluted and delivered in smaller chunks. There is of course the issue that such a system removes most of the suspense traditionally in the arena between the final bell and the moment Jimmy Lennon Jnr or Michael Buffer begins to read out the judges’ scorecards.

The scorecards themselves (114-114, 116-112 and 116-112) were arguably favourable towards Garcia, at least in the view of those who thought El Maestro had done enough to cause an upset, or at least snatch a draw against a below-par champion. Garcia said in his post-fight interview he was considering moving up to welterweight, where a December rematch against Amir Khan is possible – as an eliminator to face the all-conquering Floyd Mayweather.

Elsewhere on the Showtime and Boxnation televised card, Deontay Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs) continued his 100% KO record with a concussive left hook to the temple of fellow countryman Malik Scott ( ) 96 seconds into the first round. After a very tentative start, the “Bronze Bomber” managed to cut off the ring and land the only punch of the fight. The left hand coming just over the guard of Scott and sending him to the canvas almost immediately after Wilder’s follow-up right was blocked. The punch looked very innocuous in real time and attending fans would boo when the KO in question was replayed after the Scott failed to beat the count.

Wilder will now wait in the wings as the official mandatory challenge to the winner of the Bermane Stiverne-Chris Arreola rematch in May – hoping to harness his “Alabama power” and become the first American to unify the heavyweight division since the days of Bowe, Holyfield and Tyson.