DAZN: Zhankosh Turarov vs. Alejandro Chavez Meneses & Bekman Soylybayev vs. Jenel Villadar Lausa RBR

Lausa has a high guard, Soylybayev just jabs it and hits to the body. The Kazak looks very confident, smiling, disciplined but dismissive. He is definitely taking control of the range, Lausa allows this and looks to land hooky right hands form the square stance. H eactually does very well in this middle minute, he might have phased the Kazak with his own confidence - these guys are trying to hit each other very, very hard. Lausa is trying ot tie up inside though, and gets a stern warning from the referee the second time he initiates. Big pressure final minute brings Soylybayev the opening round.

Soylybayev:1,
Lausa:

 

This fight is repeatedly referred to as 126lbs in commentary but these guys are 130lb fighters; it's probably being fought at 130lbs but i'm not a 100% on that.

Lausa is warned two more times in the first 65 seconds of the second round and is going to lose a point, the referee is raging. Clipping hook from Soylybayev disturbs him and adds to his problems. They exchange right hands to the body, gorgeous counter right drops Lausa after he misses with his own 1-2 and I think he might be done - Soylybayev does the right thing, returns to the body, lands two uppercuts, leans on him and dumps a tired looking Lausa to the canvas. Soylybayev is now moving in with his lead hand low, smiling, Lausa fights wildly to keep him off though and he makes it out of the round, legs not quite under him.


Soylybayev:1,2,
Lausa:

 

Lausa opens aggressively and lands a great left hook in the first 15 seconds, but seconds later is on his knees peering through the ropes and tears after suffering another hard body shot. Soylybayev has the time and is in no rush, very good poise, he is in control, why rush. Bodyshots again, the count is four, the Filipino is thinking about it....no more smoke for him, KO3, entertaining scrap but Lause was out of his depth here.


Soylybayev KO3 Lause.

 

Zhankosh Turarov (26-0) vs Alejandro Meneses (16-5) at 140lbs over 12.

Main event time! Turarov (Kazakhstan) threatens to break the world top ten here, and I suppose Alejandro Meneses (Mexico) does too, he's the man in possession of the strap after all, for all that he's also in possession of five losses. He also has a pretty serious height advantage and presumably a reach advantage to match. I missed Turanov's ring gear! SO am unable to give a prediction. Menses though has a gorgeous dark green armless tunic with hood and some lovely green and blue gloves. He's also doing a spiffing no-hands dance on his way to the ring, this is a very good entrance giving the restrictions and tiny support staff (two guys). Ah, here is Turarov, all blue, blue gloves, some nice detail on the shoulder, would wear, but it's not as good as the Mexican's, Meneses TKO9.

 

Meneses misses with a jab and eats an uppercut, what a bad start, he settles though, Turarov circles. Their feet are close, but Meneses has a deep stance and long legs so their gloves aren't all that close. Turarov makes the early running in what's landed and shows good defence when Meneses tries a two-handed flurry. Blocks too, elbows, forearms, moving well to with the uppper body to negate another flurry. Turarov looks tidier. Turarov is warry of the Meneses jab, Meneses more aggressive but Turarov edges a cagey first round.

Meneses:
Turarov:1,

 

Good one two from Meneses on 2:30 remaining, best combo of the fight, Turarov acknowledges the punch then lands a right hand to the body. Meneses is ranging with that jab, Turarov wading in with right hands. Another nice two-piece from Meneses left jab, right uppercut to the body. Turarov has countered well though - Meneses in charge of the round, slender, as they enter the last minute. Left hand counters of good variety take Turarov into a 2-0 lead though.

Meneses:
Turarov:1,2

 

Meneses is in a bit of trouble here. It is only 2-0 but he has tried two differen tthings and got not a lot back. Hard left hands to open the third put Turanov in firm control and sends Meneses on the run. Good jab uppercut combo as he regathers himself, but he ssems to be overprotecting his body a bit, dangerous with the way Turarov has been countering his chops. Meneses did a superb job of regathering himself here but the fight is getting away from him.

Meneses:
Turarov:1,2,3

 

Aggressive start from Meneses, framed mainly by missing. Thirty seconds in, Turarov has yet to throw a punch...40 seconds he lands a jab. Weird approach this, I feel almost like i've missed something. Turarov edges in, no punches...Menses moves away, single jabs. Turarov lands a good right hand, Meneses flurries back, it is a good fight, absorbing, not yet thrilling. Turarov is clearly behind at 1 minute, gets hit, shrugs at Meneses, weird round. Turarov surrendered that round for reasons unknown. 4-0 is basically boxed out barring fatigue, now the ooooh big big right hand right on bell. Hahahha that is arguably enough to turn the round for Turarov! But I think i'll stick with Menses.


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3

 

Triple jab and right hand to the body underlines another fast first minute for Meneses - give him his due, he gets hurt, he bounces right back. Turarov, again, has surrendered the first half or this round. Oh, good stiff jab at 1:20, good left hand to teh body at :25 remaining, he's finishind strong, this is difficult to score - Meneses with the volume, Turarov with all the best punches; this time I think Turarov shaded it in the final minute. Arguable though.

Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,

 

OK, big sixth round, if Turarov gets it he's probably out of sight barring KO loss and if Meneses wins it he is on the coat-tails at least. I like Turarov's style, he gives a lot of side and he raises his gloves when he feels like there might be trouble, if he's showing too much, Meneses has his jab dialled in though, and that's freeing up his right hand also. Again, he wins the first 90 seconds, again, it doesn't feel like it has been properly contested. Here comes Turarov with those jabs, rush jabs, and a counter left to the body, Meneses is just about outlanding him though as we get into the final minute. But a big right hand and a jab at the end of the sixth make this another excruciatingly close round. Awful. I'll give it to Turarov I think. Meneses should be running through these final ten seconds.


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,6,

 

Despite my scoring - this fight could be 3-3. 4,5 and 6 were all desperately close and so things could be all square. I'm sure they aren't though

Turarov starts the seventh a bit lively, maybe thinks it is time? They swap left jabs, Turarov lands a straight right to the chest, another to the ribs, Meneses jabs him back, Turarov creeps in but gets hit with a decent right. No lead for Meneses at 90 seconds for the first time since the third, I think. Turarov lands the familiar stiff punches in the final seconds to poach the round. Strategically, Turarov has it bang on, and is beyond reproach given he is boxing at home, but in a wider sense, is that what he wants to show the world?


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,6,7,

 

Turarov swaps jabs with Meneses but then hooks up a jab to send Meneses scurrying a bit, he comes off the ropes and into the centre looking disorganised and gets with the right hand to match. Meneses circles into the second minute but gets labelled with a a good right hand and then a stiff left jab. Meneses has the guts to keep fighting and the feet to keep moving but this is starting to look difficult for him.


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,6,7,8,

 

Meneses has four rounds to make this respectable or to score a knockout. I think given where he is and how this has gone, that, and sound defeat, are the only options now. He starts bright and two-handed but Turarov takes what he has to and slips what he can. I do think Meneses is starting to steam his right hand though and he has done less moving early. It is fair to say he dominated the first minute up until Turarov landed two hard bodyshots that Meneses complained (wrongly) were low. And Turarov starts to take over. Left hand body, head, ouch, Turarov dominating, knows how his man moves now and likes it. Meneses though refuses to go on the run and stays close. But Turarov is like a machine. He lands a big right hand to the ear at the start of the third minute and once more feels way out in front.


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,

 

Doctor takes a look at Meneses, not sure why, referee calls time because he didn't have his mouthpiece in...they've called it. They've called it, corner retirement. They know their man, they tried to buy him more seconds with that ****ing about I think but they obviously didn't like what they were hearing a) in the corner and then b) when they were putting the gumsheield in.

Turarov beats Meneses by corner stoppage at the end of nine.


Meneses:4,
Turarov:1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,