Mohammed Obbadi vs. Jade Dajay Bornea & José Francisco Rodríguez Tamayo vs. Arnulfo Salvador RBR

Hurricane just punched his ticket for a domestic showdown with Filipino countryman Ancajas for the IBF strap. He came into this ranked #7, and Obbadi was #3 - but the #1 and #2 slots were both vacant meaning he basically just defeated the highest-ranked contender.

 

Yep, and I didn't realize he was trained by Leonard Bundu. I was a big fan of The Lion, sorry to see him guide a fighter so close to a championship and fall short.

 

Pretty much the whole team saying they strongly favor Ancajas even in the afterglow of Bornea scoring an early one-punch stoppage over a well-regarded opponent in an eliminator. They are unanimous in expecting that Bornea will bring a solid effort, but ultimately lose as his skill level and experience don't measure up.

 

Agreed. First that I've heard of him since the loss to Spence...hard to believe that was over half a decade ago now.

 

José Francisco Rodríguez Tamayo vs. Arnulfo Salvador Rodríguez, 10 rounds @ bantamweight

 

Round 1

(Chihuas) Rodríguez is swiveling above the hip, throwing sandbag feints at Salvador from a partial crouch. The lanky Baja Californian southpaw is circling his more accomplished compatriot, giving him a wide and cautious berth, lowering some drawbridge right jabs from a distance but not daring too much. (Chihuas) Rodríguez drilling in with some rights on the body down the pipe, not yet in a great hurry to cut the ring off.

10-9 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

 

Round 2

(Chihuas) Rodríguez is slapping Salvador's southpaw jab aside with his left hook, darting in with it and catching Salvador's thumb in the crook of his palm to clear it off the board. Salvador playing keepaway on the outside, then jab-and-grab when they're in closer. (Chihuas) Rodríguez times a line drive right hand over a Salvador jab and plants it flush on his nose, sending him flying into a corner and onto the seat of his pants. Salvador is up and dancing around, spoiling the rest of the way.

10-8 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

20-17 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

 

Round 3

(Chihuas) Rodríguez is turning southpaw himself now, toying with Salvador, nailing him with BIG left crosses repeatedly after measuring range with the right jab. The third one to connect, cleanest of all, puts Salvador down again, hard. More than half the round remaining on the clock, ten miles of bad road for Salvador. I wouldn't be surprised if he fails to escape to a fourth. Salvador moving laterally, hands up, backhanding down feckless jabs. (Chihuas) Rodríguez cracks him with some more 1-2s and walks him into the ropes, where Salvador turns his back at the bell.

10-8 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

30-25 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

 

Chihuas has run hot and cold for his entire career, but this is the same red-hot version that pushed Ioka to his brink last September... in with a very badly outgunned victim. Just a matter of getting completely rid of him, now. Salvador is tall and focused on survival now, so, he might buy himself a few more rounds, but he shouldn't last 10.

 

Round 4

(Chihuas) Rodríguez is piling on body shots until Salvador ties him up. (Chihuas) Rodríguez is wrestling free, jamming his elbow into Salvador's throat and headbutting, whatever he needs to do to make him let go. Salvador tries jabbing defensively, but (Chihuas) Rodríguez barges straight through everything he throws and keeps smashing him in the face with rights (orthodox again) or paddling him downstairs.

10-9 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

40-34 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

 

Francisco's corner getting annoyed that he is still letting Salvador hang around. "Quarter past take him out already o'clock", is the gist of the Spanish instructions.

 

Round 5

(Chihuas) Rodríguez is shrugging off clinches and blinking away Salvador jabs to slash with power combos at medium-close range. Salvador looks to have wet-noodle lower extremities when he collapses into clinches after getting hit, but always recovers enough to step outside and unfurl a couple of right jabs, still intelligently defending himself enough to keep the ref from jumping in. (Chihuas) Rodríguez driving him into the ropes, pressing constantly with straight body shots, but no longer doing very tidy work.

10-9 (Chihuas) Rodríguez

50-43 (Chihuas) Rodríguez