Bryant Jennings vs. Óscar Andrés Rivas & Ash-Shakur Nafi Stevenson vs. Jessie Cris Rosales RBR

Rivas in that "late 90's Tyson" shape.. not quite a prime young specimen hewn from granite, but just this side of what you'd call pudgy, still an explosive-looking brick-house...

 

Round 1

Jennings is up on his toes already, pawing with left jabs and careening off the ropes as Rivas stalks him. Big right hand up top by Rivas, caught on the forearm by Jennings, brushed aside. Jennings is hooking off the jab from a distance, letting his back lay against the ropes so he can spring himself off and drop a 1-2 into the guard. Rivas is tapping with body shots leaning forward, not letting the hands go upstairs yet, biding his time until he finds his range... Jennings able to dance around him, working that stick. Jennings ducks a right hand and bounces off the ropes, turning Rivas with a double jab paddling his own gloves into his face. Lunging right by Rivas, slipped as Jennings turns his chest while skipping away.

10-9 Jennings

 

I like both these guys, and ever since this fight was announced I've been harboring this sinking feeling that either Rivas is getting embarrassingly schooled or Jennings is getting embarrassingly KTFO. I guess we're not going to know until the final bell to end round twelve which it ends up being.

 

Round 2

Jennings is floating his jab, letting Rivas walk onto its path. Rivas seems to not mind, just wading through what he needs to, keeping his guard up, and hooking around Jennings' arms with both hands. Nothing getting through very cleanly as Jennings continues to move defensively on his toes, but Rivas putting heavy pressure on him. Jennings popping the jab lightly, only barely scoring with it. Heavy right hand by Rivas, grazing.

10-9 Jennings, close

20-18 Jennings