Boxing at the Summer Games of the XXXII Olympiad, Tokyo

Keyshawn Davis (USA) vs. Hovhannes Bachkov (ARM), 63kg/welter semifinal #1

 

Round 1

Circular movement and pot shots from Davis, well aware of how badly the Armenian wants to get inside and rumble and denying him that space. Bachkov responds with a judo toss. Heavy pressure from Bachkov, chasing but not reaching, huge wide sweeping fast backfoot counters from Davis. When the pursuer does catch up they wrestle and fall onto the mat.

10-9 Davis, only man that scored really

 

Judges five zip for Keyshawn.

 

After that one round I'm pretty comfortable predicting a Davis vs. Cruz finals already. (might end up looking foolish here, don't actually know the results ...but this is an uphill climb stylistically for Hovhannes and I don't really think Garside has a prayer in the other SF)

 

Round 2

Bachkov just walking onto check hooks and long stiff jabs galore. He is trying hard, just not making any strategic adjustments. Davis' footwork and timing impeccable, he's just boxing the guy, pressure negating and counter punching clinic.

20-18 Davis

 

Wow, judges 3-2 in favor of Bachkov?

Guess those people dig ineffective aggression. Didn't make note of what countries they were from and don't feel like pausing and rewinding. (as these phone screens are designed for young Asian girls and my giant Western man sausage fingers always end up jumping to a wildly different location in the broadcast like + or - an hour when aiming for the arrows that rewind or ff by 15 seconds.

 

Bachkov's best round, the third. Finally caught up to Davis bullrushing him against the ropes and lay some hooks on him, although many curled around his shoulder. I'll say he did edge that one, just, making Davis uncomfortable, forcing him to flee or clinch and throw fewer counters.

29-28 Davis

 

28-28 x3, 29-27 x2

Announced as a UD for Davis, but wouldn't that be a MD?

 

Andy Cruz (CUB) vs. Harry Garside (AUS), 63kg/welter semifinal #2

 

Aussie warned for rabbit punches barely half a minute in.

Very light body-jabs and flurries by the southpaw in blue, almost none getting across.

Cruz feinting with the overhand right and instead catching Garside with a left hook darting in.

Garside tries reaching in again with the jab downstairs and Cruz backsteps, returning with a left jab on the face.

10-9 Cruz, uneventful

 

Clean sweep for Cruz, 5-0

 

Improved second for Garside..still a lot of jittery nervous energy but getting Cruz to react to fakeout combos up top and then sneaking in lancing lead lefts on the abs. Cruz doing lots of waiting and reacting, leaning back and twisting defensively, not throwing much. Garside's round so far with ninety seconds to go. Cruz spirals in and dances around him scoring jabs but Garside whacks him with a body hook. Garside hopping in place, switching his lead foot. Nice counter overhand lefts off the hip by Garside when Cruz reaches in with straights.

10-9 Garside

 

Cuban lit his ass up in the last three minutes ..

Twitch-twitch, made ya look, here's a left hook on the kisser. Just smash-and-grab all the way.

10-9 Cruz

29-28 Cruz

 

Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (ROC) vs. Julio César La Cruz (CUB), 91kg/heavyweight gold medal bout

 

JCLC is one seriously bouncy boy...slipping damn near everything Gadzhimagomedov puts out toward him.