Archive for the ‘Fight Reports’ Category

[Video] The Monster Devours: Inoue Runs Through McDonnell in One Round

Posted: May 25, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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Monsters are real. Just ask Jamie McDonnell, who was relived of his WBA bantamweight title in merciless fashion as Naoya Inoue needed less than two minutes to score a crushing knockout victory.

At 5’9 to Inoue’s 5’5, McDonnell sought to made it a long-distance affair by pumping the jab and and circling. But Inoue easily breached the distance gap by darting in with a lead left hook to the body. The shot pushed McDonnell to the ropes where Inoue let loose with a quick combination.

McDonnell attempted to regoup by targeting the stomach with a body jab, but was quickly countered by a left hook to the top of the head. The shot wobbled him and a knockdown, via a left hook downstairs, quickly followed.

McDonnell rose and was met with a series of shots punctuated by a left hook for the final knockdown with 1:08 remaining.

The win is improves Inoue’s record to 16-0 (14 KOs) and gives him a third title in as many weight classes at the age of 25.

Expect this to just be the beginning of his reign of terror as the new title-holder will participate in the World Boxing Series bantamweight tournament.

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[Video] Golovkin Demolishes Martirosyan in Two, Still Wants Canelo in September

Posted: May 6, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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CARSON, CA — Gennady Golovkin returned to his crushing knockout ways with a second-round stoppage over Vanes Martirosyan tonight at the Stub Hub Center.

Martirosyan, who hadn’t fought in two years and was moving up to middleweight, displayed a sharp jab and managed to briefly stun Golovkin with a right-left combination to close the first. The champion heeded his trainer Abel Sanchez’s instructions to “settle down” and “go to work,” leading to a fast start to the second that saw Martirosyan’s knees buckled with a counter right uppercut. Martirosyan briefly took a knee, but the reaction has delayed enough that the referee opted to not rule it a knockdown.

The end would come moments later when a Golovkin overhand right drove Martirosyan to the ropes. Golovkin unleashed a series of power shots punctuated by a left hook that put Martirosyan out before he hit the canvas.

After stating earlier this week that the Canelo rematch has a “15% chance” of happening, Golovking backtracked and affirmed he wants the fight for September. He also acknowledged the growing crop of younger challengers in the division, telling Max Kellerman he welcomes fights with the likes of Demetrius Andrade, Jermall Charlo and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

“I want them all, it doesn’t matter who I face,” he said.

The win is Golovkin’s 20th successful middleweight title defense and equals the record set by Bernard Hopkins.

No Fluke: Bellew Drops Haye Three Times for Decisive 5th Round TKO

Posted: May 5, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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Tony Bellew delivered on his rematch promise to defeat David Haye quicker by putting on a counter-punch clinic with three knockdowns for a dominant fifth round TKO.

Haye carried the first two rounds by keeping distance and landing long jabs and straight rights. But when the fight went inside, Bellew’s sharper technique took over by forcing Haye to exchange. He dropped the former heavyweight title-holder twice in the third with counter right hands. On the second knockdown, Haye grimaced in pain and held his right ankle. Despite this, Haye had enough of his bearings to move and survive the round.

Haye was evasive enough to make it through the fourth but looked perilously close to being stopped any time Bellew attacked. The Hayemaker punch to turn the bout around wasn’t there due to Haye’s poor balance. In the fifth, he threw a wide left hook that put him in line for Bellew to deliver a compact, textbook left hook of his own, resulting in  Haye careening face-first to the canvas.

Haye beat the count but couldn’t mount a strong defense, prompting the referee stoppage. Afterward, Haye offered no excuses and dismissed the speculation he was injured in round three. Although the 37-year old Haye wouldn’t commit to retiring, Bellew said he hoped his rival would call it quits.

“This is a young man’s game. I told the referee after the third to stop the fight,” said Bellew. “The only reason I gave him a chance in the fourth was because he’s so heavy-handed. I hope he makes a (retirement) announcement in the next few days.”

***

Haye’s been on borrowed time for years. The explosive athleticism that defined his cruiserweight and early heavyweight run have completely eroded from injuries. He’s still in good shape, but the added weight from age and muscle makes him lethargic and predictable in the ring. There is absolutely no reason for him to continue on at 37.

As for Bellew, his domestic star is bright. He called out a myriad of opponents but sounded most interested in luring Andre Ward out of retirement. If Ward isn’t swayed by the possibility of a high-level UK fight, Bellew has a few other opens at heavyweight (Fury, Whyte) and cruiser (Usyk-Gassiev winner) to keep him occupied. Not bad for a 35-year old looking to close out a career on favorable terms.

 

 

[Video] Khan Demolishes Lo Greco in 40 Seconds,Confronts Kell Brook

Posted: April 22, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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After a two-year sabbatical, Amir Khan needed only 40 seconds to drop Phil Lo Greco twice for a first-round TKO and begin the hype for an eventual showdown with rival Kell Brook.

Lo Greco, who’s been active with his trash talk throughout the prefight buildup, was completely overmatched by Khan’s speed. A right uppercut preceded a 1-2 that put Lo Greco down 15 seconds in. A flurry of hooks, punctuated by a left, put Lo Greco down again for good.

With less than a minute’s work, you can make any definitive decisions on how much Khan has left or what improvements new trainer Joe Goossen has brought. But it was good to see him aggressive and not wasting time with a lower tier opponent.

As for Khan vs. Brook, I still have to favor Special K. Khan’s speed and combination punching will trouble him, but I can’t see Brook not being able to land something big at some point over 12 rounds. Regardless, I see their styles and the hometown atmosphere making for an exciting fight however long it lasts.

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Hurd Edges Lara with 12th Round Knockdown, Unifies WBA/IBF Titles

Posted: April 8, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime

LAS VEGAS — Jarrett Hurd needed a big finish last night and delivered a cracking left hook for a 12th round knockdown to gain a razor-thin split decision (113-114, 114-113 twice) over Erislandy Lara at the Hard Rock Casino.

The fight followed an early script of the southpaw Lara scoring clean straight lefts on his stalking foe. But unlike pre-fight predictions, Hurd was getting inside as early as the third and working the body with left hooks and uppercuts through the guard. Hurd’s size also allowed him to throw off Lara’s clinches and give the Cuban little time to reset. Hurd also alternated the speed and power on his shots, making it hard for Lara to anticipate and counter.

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Despite this, Lara accounted himself well. After a tough eighth and ninth round where Hurd’s jab and bodywork kept the Cuban in a shell, Lara upped his workrate for a bounce back 10th where he stood his ground and punched in combination.

Hurd remained undeterred and his body punching left him with stronger reserves in the final two rounds. He outworked Lara in the 11th and had the Cuban in serious trouble in the 12th after dropping him with a left hook. Only 34 seconds remained and Lara had just enough elusiveness to hang on for the final bell.

The scorecards reflected the closeness of the bout with Hurd needing the knockdown to pull out two 114-113 scores in his favor.

“It was a tough one, but I went out there and did exactly what I said I was going to do – fight all 12 rounds and get the victory,” Hurd said. “I didn’t feel like that (I needed the knockdown). I feel like I was in control the whole fight, applying the pressure.”

Lara, who suffered his first defeat since a controversial split decision to Canelo Alvarez in 2014, thought he did enough for a clear win.

“Besides the last round, I thought I was winning this fight easily,” Lara said. “That’s not to decide the fight.  I was winning the fight.  One punch in a fight doesn’t determine the fight. “It was a great fight for the fans. I stood there, fought and it was fun. I thought I clearly won the fight. Once again a decision goes against me, but hey we just have to do the rematch.”

Should the rematch not happen, Hurd will have the opportunity to add another title against the winner of Jermell Charlo (WBC) vs. Hugo Centeno next month.

******

This is the first Lara fight that’s received universal since his 2013 war with Alfredo Angulo. He turns 35 in a few days and I believe he’s slipped just enough to where he’ll have these attrition fights against younger elite guys.

As much as Lara’s pride tells him to push for an immediate rematch, it wouldn’t be wise. The punishment tonight put some serious miles on him and jumping right back in with a massive pressure fighter like Hurd probably results in a quicker loss. I’d have him rest through the summer and come back with a tuneup in September then shoot for the winner of Hurd/Charlo. It also wouldn’t surprise me to see more fighters jump at the chance of facing Lara thinking he’s now lost a step.

Speaking of Hurd, he needs to tighten up that defense to beat Charlo. He gets hit clean way too much and like previous iron-chinned pressure fighters (Margarito comes to mind), it will eventually get cracked. Charlo has been putting guys to sleep in recent fights (Lubin, Hatley, Jackson), plus he’d be the first elite guy Hurd has faced that’s close to his size.

All in all, one of the better fights I’ve seen this year. The junior middleweight division is heating up and by this time next year, we might have one champ with all four belts.

Joshua Captures WBO Strap in Tactical Win Over Parker

Posted: April 1, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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21 fights, 3 belts and one more to go. Anthony Joshua went the 12-round distance for the first time last night and taking a wide decision over formerly undefeated Joseph Parker before 80,000 fans at Principality Stadium.

Parker, playing the role of spoiler, fought exclusively off the backfoot while shooting multiple jabs and looking to steal rounds with isolated right hands. This allowed Joshua to methodically press the action behind sporadic straight shots to the body and clipping left hooks inside. Parker showed good defense in avoiding Joshua’s deadly uppercut, but couldn’t get anything going inside due to an inexperienced ref breaking action too quickly.

The slow action through four rounds made the stanzas close, but Joshua continually held the edge due to his aggression and harder shots, particularly when he forced Parker to give ground from jabs. Parker got more aggressive in the middle rounds, briefly stunning Joshua with a short right hook in the fifth and outworking his foe in the seventh. But Parker failed to take any risks afterward and seemed content to make it to the final bell.

The scores reflected this in Joshua winning unanimously 118-110 (twice) and 119-109.

The big news from the contest was the post-fight interview where Joshua declared he wanted Deontay Wilder. I’m still not convinced we get it next, but the public banter will continue building the hype internationally. My gut tells me Wilder does bite and take the Dillian Whyte fight while Joshua gets a massive domestic payday against Tyson Fury. Should Joshua and Wilder retain, we’ll finally get the final unification sometime around May 2019.

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[Video] Povetkin’s Left Hook Ends Price in Five

Posted: April 1, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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It was a matter of time. The narrative was how bad the knockout would be when Alexander Povetkin finally landed a series of hard shots on David Price. The fall was appropriately chilling when a flush left hook bounced Price’s head off the canvas in round five.

When the 6’8 Price fought tall, he found success in countering the 6’2 Povetkin with left hooks from mid-range. This shot resulted in Price scoring a flash knockdown in the third. But overall, Povetkin’s quicker hands and technique allowed him to get inside and punish Price with snapping hooks. The punishment opened a cut above the left eye to accompany a bloody nose and mouth.

This should absolutely be Price’s last time in the ring. He’s 34 and this was a Hail Mary chance to get back in contention. Furthermore, it was an audition to make Povetkin credible as an opponent for Anthony Joshua or possibly even Dillian Whyte should the Wilder bout fail to materialize.

 

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