Dmitry Alexandrovich Kudryashov vs. Ilunga Makabu & Aleksei Egorov vs. Roman Golovashchenko RBR.

Round 4

Kudryashov is on shaky legs, staying outside, dropping a left jab in the general direction of Makabu's waistband, mostly for show, coming up short by a foot. Makabu lies in wait, ready to pounce when Kudryashov braves the inside waters. Sure enough, Kudryashov's impatience outweighs his caution, pain, and fatigue and he drifts toward Makabu - only to get smashed with some fast counters on the face (now a grotesque mangled bloody mess) and slashed across the rib cage with right hooks. The ref pauses to have the physician inspect Kudryashov. She gives him a reluctant "green card" (to continue) but they will be watching closely. Tissue around his left eye is very swollen but has yet to impede his vision. The bridge of his nose is crooked. Time in. Makabu works the jab, Kudryashov hopping around throwing just enough punches to show he isn't ready to quit.

10-9 Makabu

40-35 Makabu

 

Round 5

Kudryashov is rowing out some long jabs, intent on keeping Makabu at bay. Kudryashov does some rolling to his left with his right glove up against his face, looking slick for a moment. Kudryashov stalking, and - CONNECTS BIG! Makabu under siege now, straight rights & left hooks! Kudryashov looking for the hail-Mary come from behind KO! Makabu weathers it, shaken by a few partially blocked shots, but now replying with his own right hooks and chopping lefts! Kudryashov forced to back up, not his forte. WILD overhand right by Kudryashov, missing over Makabu's left shoulder and countered with a short downward scything left hand bang on the nose, making Kudryashov wobble slightly in mid-step. Right jabs from Makabu still the key to unlocking endless scoring combinations. Makabu nails Kudryashov repeatedly, into the ropes, staggering with very shaky balance off a left cross between his eyes, and the ref saves him.

TKO5!!

 

Props to Kuji for giving it his last best shot there in the fifth. Went out like a real man.

 

WTF, is it all over already?

 

You think so? Kudryashov only seemed to have that one bullet left in the chamber, IMO, and from the moment he spent it with Makabu still not only upright but coming on strong and bringing the heat, you could tell Dmitry looked deflated and starting to accept his fate, just backing straight up, no longer intelligently defending himself, taking HUGE shots, and didn't seem all that bothered to be saved by Hector Afu.

 

You missed not only the live fight but my delayed encore RBR as well, yeah.

 

Yeah. Maybe not totally garbage as previously stated but I think Kudryashov was showing just enough to be allowed to carry on.

 

He was twenty seconds earlier for sure, but that seemed like a last gasp and then he was just getting his ass kicked.

 

But... I want blood dammit.

 

Anyone catch Kovalev looking on? Looked like he was fancying his chances against both guys.

 

Dmitry, bro, just a word of advice, maybe stay the hell away from Africans or Afro-Cubans for a while?

 

I was just going to suggest a rubber match with Duradola or a fight with Kalenga.

 

Forget that, Kovalev needs to locate his balls first and get in the ring with Yarde. Yarde’s ready to fight. Sergey’s got lion problems right now, a problem of the camp variety.

Lions in the ****ing camp!

 

Kudryashov would end Yarde tootsweet, inside two minutes, forget Kovalev.

 

Before that last round his corner told him the referee warned them he will give him 1 round to improve his situation or he would stop it. He tried the first 20-30 seconds and Makabu kept busting him up.