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

Round 2

They jab and circle for a bit, with Balogun leading Gassiev around the ring, never quite letting himself get trapped in the corner. Gassiev is being met with every step by a straight left hand lead and then right hook combination (or vice-versa) from Balogun. It appears to have Gassiev frozen in place for a moment, unsure of how to carve himself a path inside, but then he solves the puzzle and BLASTS his opponent with a right cross after lulling Balogun into another patty-cake glove-touch with their jabbing hands. Balogun face-down on the canvas (finally pushing up to all fours) more than halfway into the ref's count. That'll do.

KO2!!

 

You could tell in round one after Gassiev just grazed him with a right cross (and widened Balogun's eyes, like a prey animal), the first time one landed in earnest it was going to spell trouble.

 

I don't think he quit. Or at least, not in the sense of "felt the power and stayed down to fail the count on purpose". It seemed he got caught on the nose and while he was on hands & knees during the ref's count he lifted a glove up to swipe at it like he couldn't breathe (maybe filled with blood immediately upon impact?)

The way he pushed himself up at first it did look as though he wanted to beat the count. He was just done in.