Brandun Lee narrowly avoided being knocked out Saturday night when he faced Will Madera, despite his previous track record of knocking out 22 of his 25 opponents. It was Madera who surprised everyone by dropping the heavily favored Lee with a well-executed right hand late in the third round of their 10-round, 143-pound match at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
However, Lee showed resilience, weathered the unexpected setback, regained control of the fight, and ultimately secured victory by unanimous decision in the first of four fights televised by Showtime. Judges Daniel Fitzgerald, Lisa Giampa, and Mark Streisand scored the fight identically for Lee, 98-91. Nevertheless, Lee's performance raised concerns about his ability to take punches and revealed some defensive vulnerabilities.
Reflecting on the experience, Lee acknowledged it as a new challenge in his professional career, noting that even great fighters inevitably face adversity at some point. Despite the mental setback, Lee swiftly recovered and managed to regain his rhythm, although it took him about a round to fully settle back into the fight.
Lee, aged 23 and hailing from La Quinta, California, completed a second consecutive fight that went the distance, following a postponement of two weeks due to the cancellation of the Jake Paul-Hasim Rahman Jr. pay-per-view event. His previous fight against Zachary Ochoa also ended without a knockout, marking the end of his 15-fight knockout streak.
Madera, aged 31 and from Albany, New York, suffered his second defeat in his last four fights, with his previous loss being a first-round knockout by former lightweight contender Felix Verdejo in July 2020.
Despite the knockdown, Madera needed a knockout in the final round to secure an upset victory against Lee, who was heavily favored with odds of 30-1 according to DraftKings sportsbook. Although Madera landed significant blows throughout the fight, including a left hook and a right hand in the eighth round, Lee managed to weather the storm and maintain control.
Lee showcased his offensive prowess throughout the fight, landing several impactful punches, including a chopping right hand in the fifth round and a flush right hand just before the end of the second round. However, his vulnerability was exposed when Madera dropped him for the first time in his career with a devastating right hand in the third round.
Despite the setback, Lee demonstrated his resilience by answering the referee's count and surviving the round. He gradually regained his composure and dominated the later rounds, ultimately securing the victory by unanimous decision.
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