NBC Sports: Amir Mansour vs. Steve Cunningham RBR

tech diff.


Curtis Stevens vs. Tureano Johnson, 10 rounds @ middleweight

Round 1

Johnson is walking Stevens down from the first bell, from the southpaw stance, throwing short right hooks and left uppercuts. Johnson switches to orthodox and keeps the pressure on, keeping Stevens on the ropes. Stevens throws powerful left hooks up from the peekaboo guard but is continuously pushed back and letting Johnson be first and last to land, a bit shell-shocked but staying composed and firing back where he can, unable to back Johnson off even when landing flush.

10-9 Johnson


Round 2

Johnson is throwing jabs and looping rights into the jaw and temples of Stevens. Big hooks by Stevens, turning at the hip but unable to generate torque with his back on the ropes. Johnson is eating a few big uppercuts while pressing in on the smaller man but again Stevens can't muster any leverage to put full power on them. Johnson is swarming and smothering.

10-9 Johnson

20-18 Johnson


Round 3

Johnson is throwing lead right uppercuts and pushing into Stevens, who tangles up their arms, holding Johnson by the ropes. Johnson breaks free and flurries, throwing left uppercuts to pierce through Stevens' guard, separating his thick arms to score. Stevens is throwing big right hands and left hooks while sitting back on the ropes. Johnson answers back with chopping rights and uppercuts, now slapping left hooks on the right thigh of Stevens. Johnson is bringing the attack low to high as Stevens tries loading up the same predictable hooks off the ropes.

10-9 Johnson

30-27 Johnson


Round 4

Johnson is leaning forward, bracing his chin on Stevens' instinctively upheld forearm and lobbing in underhanded combos on the body. Johnson is shoving Stevens into the ropes, pushing at Stevens' core and then bringing quick right hands up into the jaw. Stevens loads up some BIG whipping rights to bash his way free. Three or four unanswered rights by Stevens, wound up behind the back. Johnson is now hurt and backed up as Stevens throws wide left and right hooks, full power. Massive hooks by Stevens as Johnson covers up and drops into him, seeking shelter. Hooks by Johnson inside. Flush left hook by Stevens, half power, arm-weary. Both are slugging, toe to toe!

10-9 Stevens, big turnaround

39-37 Johnson


Round 5

Johnson is mushing his face into the arms of Stevens and throwing uppercuts into the waist. HUGE left and right hooks by Stevens. Johnson's head is swiveling around, brutal. Johnson is taking some bombs as Stevens figures out how to use the ropes to now add leverage and increase his pop. Johnson is taking unreal punishment but refusing to back off. Stevens is caught with a double right uppercut tearing into the left side of his face but keeps digging with hooks on the body of Johnson. Chopping shots both ways.

10-9 Stevens

48-47 Johnson