Dominic Wade scores split decision win vs. Sam Soliman to stay unbeaten
Middleweight contender Dominic Wade found his opponent, 41-year-old Australian Sam Soliman, to be an awkward style to handle Saturday night, and was outworked by Soliman throughout the ugly, 10-round fight.
But a fourth-round knockdown by Wade proved to be the difference as the Washington D.C. fighter remained undefeated with a narrow split decision victory against Soliman on Showtime at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Wash.
The crowd booed lustily when the decision was announced.
Judge Robert Byrd scored it 95-94 for Wade, Robert Hoyle scored it 97-92 for Wade, while Max DeLuca had it 96-93 for Soliman.
"This was by far my toughest fight, and my best win as a pro,'' Wade said. "I knew there was going to be a problem fighting an experienced, totally awkward guy like that. Really, it's impossible to prepare for a fight like this. But I kept my poise throughout and that was a key.
"I have more respect for Soliman now that I've fought him. He sure doesn't fight like somebody that is 41-years-old. But I did what I had to do to get the win and take the next step up me.''
Soliman (44-13) spent much of the fight rushing in at Wade and throwing wild combinations, while Wade (18-0, 12 KOs) just tried to hold off the charging former champion and landed several counter right and left hands during the contest. He also threw down Soliman a couple times.
Wade's fourth-round knockdown came on a counter left hook. Soliman argued that he was pushed down but referee Jack Reiss said he was off-balance and counted it as a knockdown.
The toughest job of the night had to be that of Reiss, who spent the night breaking the fighters out of holds and clinches, and trying to stay out of the way of Soliman, who moved around the ring bobbing and feinting the entire night. Reiss warned Wade on his second throwdown of Soliman.
Soliman landed 98 of 450 punches (22%), while Wade landed 74 of 317 (23%), according to SHOstats. Soliman connected to 64 of 228 power punches to Wade's 35 of 99.
"I definitely felt I won, and I think Wade knows I won, too,'' Soliman said. "He never hurt me once. My knee held up 100 percent. The knockdown that he got credit for wasn't even a knockdown. It didn't come from a punch. He literally pushed me down.
On the undercard, Erickson "Hammer" Lubin wasted no time, knocking down Ayi Bruce twice in the first round, with the second being the KO shot at 2:49. Lubin, 19, improved to 11-0 (8 KOs). Bruce fell to 23-10 (15 KOs).
"I knew he was out of there after the first knockdown," Lubin said. "I seen it in his eyes. In his legs and his body and I was ready to get him out of there after the first knockdown."
Lubin, from Orlando, with six first-round stoppages, says he's ready to make a move in the super welterweight division. "I've been doing this my whole life," he said. "After 150 amateur fights, I came into the pro game, so I'm ready to step up after every fight and next thing you know I'll be fighting for a world title."
Lubin landed 47 punches to Bruce's 3.