MIAMI -- Alfredo Escalera, the former world junior lightweight champion from Puerto Rico, staged a torrid finish Friday night to earn a 10-round unanimous decision over Termite Watkins of Houston in a lightweight fight.
The bout was a preliminary to the World Boxing Association junior welterweight title fight between champion Aaron Pryor and Alexis Arguello.
Escalera, who suffered a deep gash over his right eye in the second round and appeared to be struggling throughout the first half of the fight, took control after the sixth round and outpunched his opponent to the finish.
The 30-year-old Escalera, who held the World Boxing Council title from 1975-1978 before losing it to Arguello, won on 96-94, 98-92 and 96-94 cards.
Watkins scored early with left hooks and jabs to the face and opened the cut in the second round with a hard left hook to the head. Blood continued to pour down Escalera's face in the third round but he managed to hold off a barrage from Watkins and then opened a gash under Watkins' left eye with a lead right hand early in the fourth round.
Watkins, who recently ended a one-year retirement, seemed to falter in the later rounds and the veteran Escalera seized the advantage.
In the eighth round, he scored well with combinations to the head and he hurt Watkins with two short right hands to the head in the ninth round. Watkins was wobbly but managed to survive, but the sting was gone from his punches.
Escalera landed the heavier blows in the 10th round to score his 49th victory against 12 losses and three draws. Watkins fell to 54-5-1.
Escalera made 10 successful title defenses before being knocked out by Arguello in the 13th round.
Watkins lost a 15-round decision to then WBC junior welterweight champion Saoul Mamby in a title fight two years ago and retired shortly afterward.
