Bigger's Better King of 2013: Lisbon, Portugal RBR

Top of the hour. :good

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This is the "playoffs" of BB's 2013 season, if you will - pitting all eight of the regular season tourney champions together in a knockout elimination tourney determining THE king of 2013. At least, it should be.

The original draw was supposed to be:

Ali Baghouz of Belgium (BB19) vs. Evgenios Lazaridis of Greece (BB20)
Konstantin Airich of Germany (BB21) vs. Tomacz Sarara of Poland (BB22)
Bogdan Dinu of Romania (BB23) vs. Fabrice Aurieng of France (BB24)
Lucian Bot of Romania (BB25) vs. Sergey Maslobojev (BB26)

Not it's:

Evgenios Lazaridis of Greece (BB20) vs. Mathieu Kongolo of Belgium
Lucian Bot of Romania (BB25) vs. Tomacz Sarara of Poland (BB22)
Bogdan Dinu of Romania (BB23) vs. Sergey Maslobojev (BB26)
Fabrice Aurieng of France (BB24) vs. Milen Paunov of Bulgaria


I guess neither Ali Baghouz (replaced by Paunov) nor Konstantin Airich (replaced by Kongolo) could make it. :conf Disappointing.

Bot should walk through his side of the draw, while Dinu is actually in tough with Maslobojev in the quarterfinals (originally they would've been poised to meet in the semis provided they both advanced) now potentially meeting Aurieng in the semis instead of the quarters.

I suppose you could argue those are the four best h2h 2013 BB champions so the absence of Baghouz or Airich shouldn't matter too much. (although the German has the punch to always pose a threat and thrives in this format and so could've made it pretty far in this...)

 

No time is being wasted!!

"Mikhail Buffer" and ring walks!

The first quarterfinal is underway.

:bbb

 

Quarterfinal #1

Evgenios Lazaridis vs. Mathieu Kongolo, 3 rounds @ heavyweight

 

Kongolo has experience in kickboxing but this is his rookie foray into boxing.

 

Round 1

Lazaridis is tossing in jabs and right hands pressing Kongolo back onto the ropes. Flurries to the body by Lazaridis, whipping lefts and rights wide into Kongolo's sides below his elbows. Kongolo is countering with rights and hooks but telegraphing them enough for Lazaridis to jump back out of the way, arms drawing back around his flanks before loosed. Lazaridis is darting in and out drowning Kongolo is straight and hooking slaps while covering up to block Kongolo's infrequent searching jabs.

10-9 Lazaridis

 

Kongolo. :good

 

Round 2

Lazaridis is sticking his left jab into Kongolo's face and backing him into the ropes, slapping down with a right hand on the upper lip. Kongolo is holding the right glove up by his cheek and looking to shoot out looping counters as Lazaridis steps in. Lazaridis is able to lure Kongolo out to center ring hopping away from that right hand, staying mostly just out of range. Kongolo grows increasingly brave leaping in after him with the lead right and tries some wide thumping body hooks thrown in midair before touching down in front of Lazaridis as well, applying pressure.

10-9 Lazaridis but closer

20-18 Lazaridis

 

Kongolo is doing alright considering he is a late replacement and considering this is a tourney of (tourney) champions in which not only is he not a (tourney) champion himself but is making his boxing debut.

 

Round 3

Kongolo is pushing the jab up into Lazaridis' face and muscling him into a corner. Lazaridis stretches his long neck and tilts his upper body away to hide his head in the clouds, and clubs down with a right hand partially hitting the shoulder. Down goes Kongolo. Smoger gives him a count. Borderline call. Lazaridis is rolling his jab out into Kongolo's nose, mostly playing it safe and picking his spots with a few more long rights to head and body as Kongolo has lost his appetite. Kongolo has a bloody nose.

10-8 Lazaridis

30-26 Lazaridis

 

Lazaridis advances.