Jamie McDonell vs. Nick Otieno & Nigel Wright vs. Nicki Smedley RBR

Thanks IB, what's your prediction for this fight?

 

McDonnell UD in a learning experience with maybe a few hairy moments and rounds lost.

 

Round 1

McDonnell is staying long and popping his jab as he circles steadily with double steps. Otieno is putting together almost exclusively blends of right uppercuts and left hooks, trying to power his way in. Otieno is catching a lot of back as McDonnell leans in and twists into him but some good digs to the body are getting through as well. Good up and down combo off a jab by McDonnell. Lots of jabs and busy movement on the outside by McDonnell as Otieno steadily pressures. Otieno is throwing some very solid compact punches, overhand rights and left hooks that look to have lots of power but aren't landing.

10-9 McDonnell

 

Round 2

McDonnell is holding his left arm out warily, snapping it a bit when he gets Otieno in line but above all trying to hold him off. Otieno is throwing flurries straight up the middle and powerful lone overhands as he pitches forward off his toes. McDonnell lands a very nice three shot combo from the outside, a right uppercut followed by two left hooks, keeping his head held back out of danger as the stubbier limbs of Otieno swing violently at the space between.

20-18 JM

 

Round 3

McDonnell stays behind his jab, barking as he releases it in singles and doubles with his base in flux. Otieno is unable to close in, and has his upper body leaned forward over his waist to make a shorter delivery path to the target for his power punches but still maintaining a high guard. A couple of underhands to the body by Otieno. McDonnell has lost his jab a bit while focusing on using the whole ring. A couple of long hooks around the gloves by McDonnell. Otieno is taking longer steps in with his lead foot and throws a hard straight jab up at McDonnell's face. McDonnell loses his gum shield. Otieno hops out of the way of McDonnell jab and then hustles in to lands 4 quick uppercuts to the body, alternating lefts and rights. Otieno sticks with the pattern, hopping in and out with his guard up and then quickly dropping his hands to work the body. Successful. McDonnell looks uncomfortable. Otieno pushes him to the ropes and they trade hard body shots.

10-9 Otieno

29-28 McDonnell

 

Round 4

Otieno jabs hard, chasing McDonnell to the ropes but unable to get close enough to push through anything damaging. McDonnell is landing some long uppercuts to the body while backing up and some looping rights when he stops to plant his feet momentarily. More digs to the body by McDonnell, a bit below the belt. Otieno is a pressure machine, but not getting enough shots in on the longer, rangier Commonwealth champ.

39-37 McDonnell

 

Round 5

McDonnell is landing those right uppercuts and left hooks off the back foot as Otieno encroaches on him inexorably behind the stiff reaching jab. Otieno throws a limp right hand, more of a range finder that slides off McDonnell's arms as he turns off and circles away. Another lame shot from Otieno, a lazy uppercut. Otieno seems to just be practicing his punches as long as he's failing to get inside. OOH!!! Big combo by McDonnell, sealed it off with a huge straight right hand to the face that snaps back the head of the challenger. Otieno is leaning his way in and tossing himself backward and off balance with uppercut attempts, trying to find his sharpness again. McDonnell circles in close landing jabs and body shots.

10-9 McDonnell and 49-46

 

Round 6

McDonnell is whipping Otieno from long range with his left hook to the body and sticking the jab in his face. Otieno is doubling his own jab as he trots in and turning his body askew to throw off McDonnell's aim to the body. McDonnell is keeping his right arm up to cover his face and doing excellent work with his left, countering with jabs and hooks every time Otieno opens up . Otieno slows his attack, just flicking out a few short punches as he steps in near McDonnell and not increasing their snap or changing their angle as they collide into the gloves.

10-9 McDonnell

59-55

 

Round 7

McDonnell backs away just enough to keep Otieno on the receiving end of his jab. Punishing hooks off the jab from McDonnell as Otieno quickens his pace to try and rush in. Otieno presses him into the ropes and McDonnell lands a counter right uppercut. Otieno flips both his hands up into McDonnell's chest as the champ circles past him off the ropes. McDonnell jabs and ducks almost into a short uppercut but catches it on the gloves. Right underhand to the body by Otieno. McDonnell steps back outside and behind the jab. Barking aloud as the throws hooks. Otieno ducks a pair of left hooks and tries to get inside but isn't getting a good look. McDonnell outworking him very clearly. 1-2 by McDonnell and he blocks a hacking pair from Otieno. Wild uppercuts inside by Otieno. Now a shoeshine to the body, which McDonnell takes on the elbows before backing out of the pocket. More jabs by McDonnell landing just above the gloves. Otieno lands a good right hand.

10-9 McDonnell

69-64

 

Round 8

McDonnell is meeting Otieno with hard rights to the head and body with a few left hooks mixed in, as Otieno reaches and touches him with high jabs and overhand rights. Good stiff jab by McDonnell as he settles back into a circling rhythm on the outside. Flurry to the body by McDonnell, hooking hard to the body while holding Otieno in place with his right. Otieno tosses out his jab and gets countered with right hands. Combo by McDonnell while turning Otieno. McDonnell straightens himself up and stays tall on the outside. Otieno gets in and works the body a bit.

79-73 JM

 

Round 9

McDonnell lands a combo and then backs off as Otieno starts to lay into his body. McDonnell stays outside, blocking the reaching jabs and launching some long hooks to the body. Solid jab to the jaw by Otieno as he steps inside. McDonnell answers back and turns his head back. Hard right to the body by McDonnell, mostly sidestepped by Otieno. A couple of digs to the body by Otieno, and then a badly missed jab. Otieno jabs wide again and is caught in a clinch. Nice lead right lands instead. Otieno ducks a jab but takes a right hand near the kidney. Otieno misses a quick uppercut.

89-82 McDonnell

 

Round 10

McDonnell throws a right into the gloves and then ducks three shots in return from Otieno. Another right hand is blocked, and again McDonnell ducks as Otieno keeps himself glued in place and throwing groups of chest-level blows. Otieno now stabs at the body of McDonnell with jabs and rights coming forward, trying his wild right uppercut when he's near enough but unable to hit paydirt. McDonnell is hooking very well to the body. McDonnell circles outside and puts his rights together with those low left hooks. McDonnell is stepping right inside past Otieno's jab and leaning down on the shorter man. Overhand right by McDonnell. Otieno gets jabbed thrice in the face, flinching each time. Hard downward right hand by McDonnell. Combos to the body and head by McDonnell as he circles. Otieno keeps marching him down and gets him to the ropes before McDonnell reverses it and starts to whip him again.

10-9 McDonnell

 

Round 11

McDonnell punching with purpose now, setting up hard shots with his jab and taking long strides around Otieno from inside his punching area. Otieno is flinging out some double left hooks and his right uppercut out of his high guard, but is having difficulty finding McDonnell circling around him wide-legged and with his own forearms tight to hi8s face when not throwing. Good footwork by McDonnell as he lands a jab and pulls out of range of counters. Otieno chases with his jab, falling short and getting countered. Now McDonnell gets a bit reckless, missing a right hand wide and taking one back. Otieno throws a hard overhand right while getting a hole dug in his body.

10-9 McDonnell

109-100

 

Round 12

They touch gloves in a one-potato, two-potato manner. Then it's down to business, with McDonnell jabbing in close and skittering around Otieno in quick steps. Otieno has found his stiff jab again and is landing it nicely to shake McDonnell's cheeks. McDonnell is landing the better power punches by far, however. Hard right uppercuts up close delivered while stepping laterally and swinging his rear foot around behind himself. McDonnell is like a ghost as far as Otieno's concerned. McDonnell lands a right hand. Now a left hook, and a jab to the face. Otieno lands a short right to the body but pushes his follow-up jab, looking tired. Big explosive combo by Otieno, with McDonnell leaping back and out of the way. McDonnell stays behind his jab as Otieno tries to pound his way in with overhands and lands a few against his neck.

119-109 Jamie McDonnell

 

Official scores:

118-111
120-108
120-108

(McDonnell retains his Commonwealth title)