I didnt think he was. I though O'Reilly got the first two, O'Neill was walking him down but O'Reilly was landing the cleaner punches. Saying that my stream wasnt great. What was the story with the earlier fights?
Both lefties. Tinker is taller but less solidly built. (that said, his back is plenty broad; Ward just has those oak trunk arms on him; making Tinker look to have toothpicks in comparison...)
Ward is very aggressive early, bit wild, head body head. Tinker is doing well to jab and move but shying away from trading and getting the worst of it when exchanges do get forced, mostly cuffing shots but still. 1st to Ward.
Getting brutal a minute into the 2nd. Ward is hounding Tinker, big left crosses launched into the head but some light chopping lefts and flush right hooks catching Ward flat on the mug on the step inside, molar-breakers. Tinker is showing guts here, after taking some heavy fire. Tinker is RIPPED with a straight left hand counter while darting in and out jabbing from mid-range. He is given an eight count and saved by the bell.
Ward is entering conservation mode, stalking and pitchforking the jab from the hip. Tinker is hopping and shuffling away, dashing to his right and flapping in with kangaroo flurries to deter Ward before starting the entire pattern of movement over again. Tinker basically just surviving. Ward starts looking for a big shot to deprive him of the chance. Ward eats a jab to crash down with a left on the cheek. Another. Tinker needs to hold on. Saved by the bell again.
I can see what all the fuss was about, he could've shaken things up some in London summer before last. Mind, the field was stacked, but you figure he would've done better than Drašković and probably not have gotten booted first thing.
He was tagged very hard, it clearly affected his balance for at least a moment...although, yeah, if there had been no big deal made about it he probably would have just clinched or moved and been fine.