The lesson from a Uriah Hall fight, as always: When the New York City resident connects, bad things can happen.
The Jamaica-born middleweight connected with a right hand during the first round of his fight with Ron Stallings at UFC Fight Night 59 at TD Garden in Boston and opened a horrendous cut over his left eye.
Soon thereafter, referee Herb Dean asked the cageside doctor to check the cut, who waved off the bout, giving Hall the injury TKO win at 3:37 of the opening round Sunday.
“You know what I just decided to come out here and fight,” said Hall (11-4), who has won three straight fights.
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Stallings (12-7), a veteran of the D.C. fight scene, took the fight on a week’s notice and looked like he belonged in the big show before the bout’s unfortunate ending.
Hall, meanwhile, had words for Costas Philippou, his originally scheduled opponent, after the fight.
“I know Costas punked out,” Hall said. “He dodged a bullet there, that was for you. Let’s make the fight.”