Lorente’s Late Rally Kept Collins from Taking His European
Cristobal Lorente retained his European featherweight championship after a split draw with Nathaniel Collins on October 4, 2025, in Glasgow. The twelve-round fight ended with 115–113 scores for each boxer and a deciding 114–114 card, leaving both men unbeaten.
Collins’s sharp opening put the visiting champion under pressure
The Scottish southpaw began with an effective jab and straight lefts to the body. His early success forced Lorente to adjust rather than settle into a comfortable title defense.
Lorente gradually found more left hooks as the fight developed. Collins still created threatening moments, including a strong sixth round, but the champion continued responding with attacks from both hands.
The later rounds gave Lorente a route back into contention
Lorente increased his work to the body and added uppercuts in the ninth. His conditioning helped him sustain the exchanges as the contest moved into its championship rounds.
The pace remained high through the final bell. Both fighters raised their arms afterward, each believing he had done enough in a bout whose momentum had shifted over the full distance.
The divided verdict preserved the championship and unbeaten records
One judge preferred Lorente, another Collins, and the third saw no separation. The draw kept the belt with Lorente and moved his record to 20–0–3, while Collins became 17–0–1.
Collins disagreed with the outcome, while Lorente indicated he would welcome a rematch. Their reactions reflected different readings of a competitive contest in which the challenger’s early sharpness met a determined late championship response.
