ESPN: Egidijus Kavaliauskas vs. Juan Carlos Abreu & Andrés Ponce Ruíz Jr. vs. Kevin Blue Johnson RBR

Round 7

Kavaliauskas is scrubbing the side of Abreu's neck with his up-jab from a partial crouch. Abreu is leading with a freewheeling left hook, targeting Kavaliauskus on the bridge of his cut nose. Kavaliauskas is clubbing Abreu in a clinch initiated by the latter, which he now instantly regrets. Kavaliauskas banging hard at close range. Abreu desperately scrambles to push back and get clearance to load up on HUGE left hooks and right uppercuts. They clinch until the ref orders a break. Abreu has lost his gum shield. Time in. Kavaliauskas fires a 1-2 and is ducked by Abreu, who grabs Kavaliauskas around the chest. Abreu jogs in place within reach of Kavaliauskas, arms held down, grinning & taunting. Kavaliauskas is staying calm, faking jabs at the chest and then sweeping a wide whistling left hook up into Abreu's temple, grazing.

10-9 Kavaliauskas

67-66 Kavaliauskas

 

No, this is the clumsiest I've ever seen him look but he also has never faced anybody quite as slick/negative/skilled as JCA, either.

 

Connects through seven, per ESPN:
Kavaliauskas 73 of 230, 32%
Abreu 47 of 255, 18%

 

Round 8

Kavaliauskas is having a field day in the middle of the ring with the slowed pace, taking aim with a high jab and looking to decapitate Abreu with a right hand rocketing up from his own hip. Abreu is careful to avoid the latter shot but is getting hit with jabs, and pushing out with his own at waist height. They are trading body jabs, both making each other miss. Kavaliauskas just narrowly striking out with the right hands, sailing past Abreu's neck. Abreu getting very jerky & twitchy in his movements, unable to keep his jigging leg still even when he creates some distance and has a moment to breathe without Kavaliauskas' pressure bearing down on him.

10-9 Kavaliauskas

77-75 Kavaliauskas

 

Round 9

Kavaliauskas is catching Abreu's jabs on his right palm and flipping up his own jab into the chin. Kavaliauskas is missing wildly up top with the left hook, arm curling around the neck of Abreu, both of them pressed together in clinches and sucking air until the ref pries them apart. Right hand by Abreu, crunching the nose of Kavaliauskas as he's ducking and charging in with a jab. Kavaliauskas is reaching in and brushing the nose of Abreu with his jab. Kavaliauskas isn't getting touched much but his cuts seem to be leaking a great deal more in the ninth than in previous rounds, starting to accumulate in a pool in the corner of his lids and threatening soon to affect his vision. He may be lucky there's just one left.

10-9 Kavaliauskas, close

87-84 Kavaliauskas