DAZN: Jürgen Uldedaj vs. Steven Ward & Alban Beqiri vs. Shabani Ally Ndaro RBR

Amir Khan in the house!

His face is kinda chubby but biceps are vascularly cut.

Eating plenty of roti but also doing plenty of curls.

 

Jürgen Uldedaj vs. Steven Ward, 10 rounds @ cruiserweight

 

This is for the vacant IBF international cruiserweight title.

Alumni are: Lasse Johansen, William Guthrie, Pavol Polakovic, Rachid El Hadak, Alexander Kotlobay, Iulian Ilie, Firat Arslan, Varol Vekiloglu, Kai Kurzawa, Craig Kennedy, Ruslan Fayfer, Aleksei Papin, Fabio Turchi, Isaac Chamberlai, Luca D'Ortenzi, and Cheavon Clarke.

Mostly a big heap of European mediocrity, but with a couple of world class names.

 

Uldedaj looking to complete a successful trifecta for Albania here in the UAE.

I know he is the favorite but I can no longer find by how much as betting has closed for the match on all sites. Not too wide, I would imagine.

This has gotten very little ink or promotion online despite being featured on DAZN's schedule for at least a week. The "Quiet Man" from Ireland had a bit of hype from the amateurs when he turned pro but that has entirely cooled off in the last eight years with poor matchmaking, some lackluster efforts and two defeats.

 

Round 1

Ward is popping a long high jab and circling left with a wide base. Uldedaj advances with a high guard, dropping his elbows to his waistband to catch Ward's body jabs. Uldedaj with the first power combo, lunges in as Ward is skating the ropes and sort of collapsing into him, blunting any impact. Uldedaj and Ward now swapping turns squatting and poking the belly with jabs from outside. Ward kicking his legs together as he strafes, avoiding the ropes and corners with a quickened lateral gallop. Uldedaj stalking, throwing a setup jab and big can-opener right that makes Ward double over and clinch. Ward with a right hand on the body, then a couple of flush jabs between Uldedaj's wrists. Ward finishes the round circling and jabbing, scoring light point-touches.

10-9 Ward, super close

 

Round 2

Uldedaj is being held at bay by some push-jabs and feinted 1-2s. Uldedaj unable to close the distance for the full first minute of the round, just getting softly stamped on the forehead by Ward's jab now and then. Uldedaj finally explodes inside with a threshing combo and Ward holds. Ward jabs his way outside on the break, then lobs a hook-right body combo. Ward dives in and holds. Uldedaj trying to work his free hand in the clinch, looking frustrated. Ward is carrying his left hand low, twitching it by his crotch, faking a quick backhanded jab to keep Uldedaj from rushing in. Ward doubles the jab into the guard and then drills home a right cross for emphasis.

10-9 Ward

20-18 Ward

 

Ward boxing very well but like a fighter that knows he's fragile (he is - lest we forget his getting blitzed inside a round - down thrice - by Latvian journeyman Ricard Bolotniks; dropped also in his TD loss to Kunkabayev)

Uldedaj doesn't exactly have a puncher's record, but you can never be too careful when guarding delicate whiskers.

 

Good start of R3 for Ward, but the inevitable happened. Uldedaj kept up his slow & steady pressure after getting outboxed at range for a minute or two and then buckled the Irishman's knees with a line drive right hand and kept on him.

29-28 Ward

 

Round 4

Uldedaj collecting desperate go-away jabs and hooks on his guard while steamrolling in. Ward running, flurrying defensively, and clinching. Ward pushes his forearm into his throat and ends up putting Uldedaj in a side headlock (like he's setting up for a Cross-Rhodes) and gets a stern warning from the ref. Uldedaj absolutely hammering Ward against the ropes, most of the head shots partially blocked but still doing damage, and some downstairs mixed in.

10-9 Uldedaj

38-38

 

Uldedaj has just six kayos in eighteen starts - a 35.29% rate. If this goes the way I think we both see it heading with TQM getting KTFO, that just confirms authoritatively that Ward is packing grade A china, no?

 

Round 5

Uldedaj is brawling wildly with Ward, who now has a cut by his right eye. Blood dripping all over both men's shoulders as Ward takes a stand, throwing volleys with both hands but finding the inside range unsuitable for his arm length. Uldedaj gets in some heavy uppercuts on the midsection and then puts together several power shots on the mush unopposed. Ref jumps in to save Ward as he's getting pounded on the ropes.

TKO5!!