Janibek Alimkhanuly vs. Andrei Mikhailovich Driessen & Marea Kirimiria Motu v. Shannon O'Connell RBR

Round 6

Alimkhanuly is tapping Mikhailovich on the chin with jabs and then willingly accepting the stalling moments when their shoulders collide and they get stuck until the ref's intervention. Mikhailovich looks exhausted but keeps flinging himself into Alimkhanuly, getting lit up as he does. Very little urgency from Alimkhanuly to keep this at medium or long range so he can force the stoppage - which seems easily within reach.

10-9 Alimkhanuly

60-53 Alimkhanuly

 

Round 7

Hard snappy jab from Alimkhanuly. Mikhailovich pushes him into the ropes and manages a few weak touches on the body. The ref extricates them from the corner and Mikhailovich eats a couple of big looping lefts, stunning him momentarily but not dissuading him from pressing on. Left uppercut by Alimkhanuly. Mikhailovich gets in close but Alimkhanuly takes a half-step outside and rattles him with a combination. Sloppy hooks downstairs and up by Mikhailovich, nothing landing. Rabbit punch by Mikhailovich as Alimkhanuly ducks low while they're pressed together. Ref warns Mikhailovich to watch the head. Grazing uppercut by Mikhailovich. Alimkhanuly is using both forearms to shove Mikhailovich off a few inches, just enough to score a combo before the next clinch. Mikhailovich not so much punching as using his arms like clubs, hitting Alimkhanuly on the back and shoulders. Hard right jab on the mush by Alimkhanuly at the bell.

10-9 Alimkhanuly

70-62 Alimkhanuly

 

Round 8

Alimkhanuly is casually drumming a beat on Mikhailovich's face with the right jab while sliding his feet back to lead him on, then gets a little greedy and reaches in with a left hand. Mikhailovich catches him on the temple with a looping right and the kiwis in attendance get overeager. It was just one punch, and Alimkhanuly barely felt it. Mikhailovich throwing some wild windmills on the inside, missing behind Alimkhanuly's back. Long clinch, then Alimkhanuly shoves off with both hands. Mikhailovich hurt by a right hook. Alimkhanuly boxing and weaving at close-midrange, scoring jabs and slipping punches.

10-9 Alimkhanuly

80-71 Alimkhanuly

 

Round 9

Alimkhanuly is landing in twos and three before Mikhailovich envelops him in a madly flurrying clinch (with a 0% connect rate). Rinse & repeat. Alimkhanuly is backing up, landing right jabs and hooks at will as Mikhailovich drives him into the ropes or corners. Ref resets them when the action grinds to a halt. Mikhailovich grabbing at Alimkhanuly's arms when he can after getting hit. Alimkhanuly is hit in the sternum with a short but very soft right uppercut. Mikhailovich has nothing on his shots. Ref has the corner re-tape Mikhailovich's glove. Alimkhanuly feints a right jab and instead blasts Mikhailovich with a hard left hand head. Left uppercut, straight left, both hard hurtful shots. Mikhailovich stumbles back and is caught in the arms of the ref, who waves.

TKO9!

 

Few thoughts:

1. There is very little to praise about Mikhailovich's performance - other than his toughness & heart. As play by play commentator Ben Damon put it, he was by all rights "done & dusted" in the 2nd round. He had no business being in it as late as the 9th. Most middleweights finding themselves in that much trouble so early probably aren't hanging around nearly that long. That said - he's otherwise an awful mediocrity, and a bit of an embarrassment for a world title challenger.
   
   
2. I'm gobsmacked that official judge Michiaki Someya gave the Russian-New Zealander two rounds. I'm really curious which two. Looking at fan scorecards on BoxRec, aggregated from a dozen people, the rounds that were most split were the 4th & 5th - a majority still giving both to Alimkhanuly but some for Mikhailovich. I don't get it. They were quieter rounds but still VERY clear for Alimkhanuly.
   
   
3. Comparisons of Alimkhanuly to GGG need to stop. First of all, Golovkin was never that comfortable just languishing in the clinch for long stretches. This wasn't a one-time anomaly, either. Alimkhanuly fights are often bores. He is talented & skilled no doubt, but less so than Golovkin and exponentially lazier. Secondly, there is zero chance that Golovkin, if he got Mikhailovich that close to being KTFO in round two, would have let him off the hook and linger for another seven rounds. Zero chance Mikhailovich would have reached the 4th, in fact.