CALAIS, France -- Kelvin Seabrooks fought to a draw with Frenchman Thierry Jacob Saturday and retained his International Boxing Federation bantamwieght title.
The three judges and referee Paul Venti of the United States announced the decision after meeting for more than an hour after Jacob, bleeding over both eyes, failed to answer the bell for the 10th round of the scheduled 15-round bout.
Jacob led the fight on points after nine rounds, and under IBF rules, the points leader is declared the winner if the fight is stopped because of an injury to either fighter after the sixth round.
However, since Jacob was badly battered and not certain to win the fight after violent eighth and ninth rounds, the officials declared a draw.
Seabrooks, a Charlotte, N.C. native, won the title May 15 by knocking out Colombia's Miguel Maturana. His record is 19-12-1. Jacob, who turned professional last year, is 13-0-1.
Jacob, fighting before 7,000 fans in a giant tent erected in his hometown in northwestern France, was sent to the canvas 12 seconds into the bout by a right hook.
Seabrooks went down three times in the first six rounds and suffered a battering from the quicker Frenchman, who had not previously gone beyond eight rounds.
The fight came to a head in the eighth with both fighters landing solid punches. Jacob, who had a cut opened over his left eye in the third round, suffered another in th eighth over his right.
He fought sluggishly in the ninth, and when the 10th was to begin, he stayed in his corner, unable to rise. Venti declared Seabrooks the winner and the argument ensued.
At that time, Danish judge Toporgen Hansen had it scored 88-81, Jim Taylor of the United States scored it 89-82 and Sheila Martin of the United States had it 88-82, all for Jacob.
