Darren Barker vs. Kerry Hope RBR

Classic slow burner.

 

Round 5

Left hook by Byrne. Jones sticks a straight left jab into his face. Byrne circles and backhands his own jab. Sloppy ululating left hook by Byrne while circling. Byrne seems to have spent a lot of his energy in the first three frames and is still recovering. Jones grinds away at him with strong jabs and drops rights to the body. Double uppercuts to either hip by Jones. Byrne leans into him, throwing his own body slaps. Byrne tries to circle away to his right, then fakes left and doubles back again. Jones keeps moving forward, inexorably and with both fists crashing up into Byrne's sides at a steady clip. Jones walks Byrne down the ropes, almost into a corner. Left hook to the body by Jones. 1-2 up top by Jones. Byrne flips a jab back at him and ducks away to his left.

10-9 Jones

48-47 Byrne

 

Round 6

Byrne drags himself around the ring, lowering his arms to let them droop out of the socket liquidly. Jones advances and tries for body shots but Byrne is in a rhythm circling on the outside and slipping shots. Flurries by Byrne when Jones gets close. Byrne gets slapped in the side with a left hook. Byrne has a cut opened up on his right cheekbone. Unclear whether from a punch or a head clash. Jones fishes with a 1-2 to the body. Light straight flurries by Byrne, standing in the pocket long enough to rattle them off and then back on the move. Byrne spins Jones into a corner and tees off. Jones keeps sticking the jab and trying to set up big rights to the body.

10-9 Byrne

58-56 Byrne

 

:nod

 

Jim Watt identified it as a punch that caused the cut on Byrne.

Yep. Replay confirms. Left hook, just tore his flesh off his cheek.

 

Round 7

Byrne whips a right hand up from a crouch and bounces it off Jones' dome with no effect. Jones keeps coming at him, no matter where Byrne jaunts to around the ring. Byrne uses awkward stuttering motions but can't shake Jones' endless forward pursuit. Byrne tries to lean in and grind against Jones for a clinch. Pushed off. Big body shots by Jones. Byrne ducks a 1-2 upstairs. Jones walks him down, picking up his pace. Slapping overhand right by Byrne while backing up. Jones won't stop. Uppercut by Jones as Byrne is leaned over. HARD right to the body by Jones, nearly folding Byrne in half. Sweeping hook by Jones, missing as Byrne backpedals to the ropes. Byrne is playing keepaway, flicking jabs out into the air. Jones gets atop him, and scores a headlock. Flurry by Byrne as Jones digs a right to the body but misses a left hook up top.

10-9 Jones

67-66 Byrne

 

Byrne looks on the verge of passing out on his stool.

Also, that cut is horrible.