Ren TV/Ushatayka: Murat Georgievich Gassiev vs. Ademola Michael James Balogun RBR

Artem Sergeevich Suslenkov vs. Mirzoxidjon Shuxratbek Ogli Abdullaev, 6 rounds @ heavyweight

 

How many times is homeboy going to mention it's a woman ref? Like this very banal (in 2023) fact is utterly blowing his mind.

 

Both are undefeated in the pros (Suslenkov 8-0 with 6 kayos; Abdullaev 3-0-1 with just one stoppage) and both had so-so runs on the Euro scene in the amateurs.

Suslenkov is wearing trunks with black on the front & back and white on the waistband & down the sides. Abdullaev has the inverse color scheme.

 

Round 1

Suslenkov in control early with a long stiff left jab. Abdullaev in retreat, using every inch of the quite large ring (these are heavyweights, remember - by the looks of it you'd think flyweights, however, given how much real estate is between them and each set of ropes) and keeping up a pair of goalposts. Suslenkov keeps drubbing the guard with his jab and occasionally reaching around it with long hook. For some reason not yet targeting Abdullaev's very soft and wide-open muffin-top protruding grossly over the belt-line.

10-9 Suslenkov

 

Round 2

Suslenkov is pawing the jab more now, puzzling out how to crack Abdullaev's shell. A fair amount of tying up by Abdullaev, when he isn't drifting into the ropes and leaning back with his arms glued to his face & tits. Suslenkov is keeping busy enough with step-through hooking combos but Abdullaev is keeping his defenses tight and mostly being very negative aside from the odd fluttering shoeshine in return (mostly pretenses to disguise holding attempts).

10-9 Suslenkov

20-18 Suslenkov

 

Well, low bar to clear but Abdullaev has acquitted himself better than his countryman Djabbarov already. Escaped the second round, and hasn't been dropped with a jab or injured himself yet.

 

Round 3

Suslenkov is pumping out jabs and right crosses, banging Abdullaev's own fists into his skull like billiards balls. Abdullaev is rushing in with window-dressing light combos upstairs, then grabbing ahold of Suslenkov and hitting his flanks with pinball-launchers on either side. Suslenkov shrugging off the clinches with brute force without waiting on the ref. Abdullaev getting drowned in jabs and straight volleys on the ropes and forced to dive in and hold more.

10-9 Suslenkov

30-27 Suslenkov

 

That said, by no means is Shucks Rat's performance making benefit glorious nation of Uzbekistan.

 

Round 4

Suslenkov is walking Abdullaev down, jabbing at the head where he can find an opening, and now flipping underhanded rights into the protuberant gut. Both men look winded from all the clinches, which involve lots of seesawing deep sideways leans, and wrestling & hand-fighting while locked in embrace. A few point-blank slaps upside the head both ways for good measure, but with zero snap on them. This is getting painful, but it's at least two-thirds over.

10-9 Suslenkov

40-36 Suslenkov

 

More than just two-thirds over, it appears! Their gloves are being removed - second consecutive fight where I'm unsure why that's happening.

Was it demoted to a 4-rounder or is someone injured? Or did Abdullaev quit?

 

So we're going to a (should be shutout) technical decision?