Israil Modrahimovich Madrimov vs. Michel Abou Soro & Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Sergei Ekimov RBR

Round 3

Madrimov is looking sharp when he approaches in the Philly shell, carving up Soro's thorax with the jab and then hooking into the far hip. When he gets wild and throws catapult haymaker right hands, though, as the commentators point out, his inaccuracy yanks him off balance and makes him look clumsy. Madrimov is fortunate that Soro is still not yet keen on punishing mistakes with counters, more or less remaining in his shell and responding in kind with body jabs of his own, albeit fewer and less spiteful than Madrimov's. A few looping rights but he's being too sparing with them, reluctant to let go unless Madrimov is directly in front of him but not proactively working towards cutting the ring off.

10-9 Madrimov

30-27 Madrimov

 

Round 4

Madrimov paying his toll with double left hooks on the body as Soro tries catching him with his own whipping hooks at the head and stabs down into Madrimov's body with both hands. Madrimov is starting to drive the right hand across hard into Soro's midsection from long range. Madrimov begins to light Soro up and possibly wind him with some of those heavy low rights, Soro's countering output dropping from a slight increase in the beginning of the round down to almost null.

10-9 Madrimov

40-36 Madrimov

 

Round 5

Soro is planing his forearms over his face in timely raises to make all of Madrimov's punches skid off, then countering sharply with his 1-2. Vastly improved start for Soro, causing Madrimov to briefly turn southpaw to adjust. Madrimov is grabbed and hip-tossed judo style onto the canvas while diving inside for a right on the body. They swap jabs at mid-range and Madrimov from a crouch uncorks another of those windmilling haymaker rights, that buzzes Soro as it actually catches him for once, behind his ear. Soro recovers well and circles out the round, guarding and jabbing.

10-9 Madrimov, but close (first really close one)

50-45 Madrimov

 

Round 6

Madrimov is allowing Soro to dictate the pace and distance now, creeping away, shifting his weight onto his rear foot and keeping a wide base to keep himself a low target, and just floating a counter jab off the hip in his wake. Soro is very happy to be given front-foot agency, stalking and flinging darts into Madrimov's face with the jab and right cross, all of it not sticking but enough to edge out the lesser (in quantity and quality) jabs of The Dream.

10-9 Soro

59-55 Madrimov

 

I could see it being 58-56 as the 5th was pretty close, but in the 2nd the workrate disparity was just too wide. I think a draw at the halfway point would be a major stretch for the Frenchman, although he does now have momentum.

 

Round 7

Madrimov is being harangued by that crisp Soro left jab, sometimes blocking it but still getting his own fist driven hard into his mush like a nail. Madrimov is able to regain initiative by doubling his jab and connecting on some rights falling in, and then working the body while safely inside Soro's effective mid-range sphere, although Soro has introduced a short uppercut that clips him a few times.

10-9 Madrimov, very close

69-64 Madrimov

 

Round 8

Madrimov is eating that Soro jab whenever he is remotely close to his opponent and not leaned deeply off center-alignment. Madrimov is grinding his way in, forcing a prolonged spell of infighting, shoulders bumping together. Soro landing jabs to crowbar Madrimov off and put him more at medium-close range, where he can plow into his neck and chest with short right hands. Madrimov landing body hooks with both hands and slapping up top across the right cheek of Soro.

10-9 Madrimov, close

79-73 Madrimov