ESPN+ Sans Limite: Jean-Thenistor Pascal vs. Michael Eifert & Mathieu Germain vs. Steven Wilcox RBR

Round 3

Eifert is jabbing in between Pascal's thumbs and plunging the right crosses down into his navel. Eifert also scoring nicely with a looping right behind the jab, traveling around Pascal's glove. Chopping right by Pascal maybe caused a slight knee buckle on Pascal. The veteran definitely gaining some respect for his opponent, approaching with his guard up and overthinking it, pressuring cautiously without punching. Eifert skates along the ropes as Pascal tries hooking the body, and Eifert absorbs some of it on his lowered elbows while prioritizing keeping his face protected. Eifert giving Pascal a boxing lesson, say the commentators - and they're right. Wild lead overhands from outside by Pascal - getting the crowd interested but accomplishing nothing, whistling in the air or picked off against the knife-edge of Eifert's gloves.

10-9 Eifert

30-27 Eifert

 

Damn, kid gonna do it??

I know we're only a quarter of the way in and lots could still happen (and even if he doesn't tire out and/or make a critical mistake and get stopped late, he still needs to worry about getting a fair shake in Montreal) but...so far so TERRIFIC, from "Diesel".

 

Round 4

Eifert is boxing and moving beautifully, feeding Pascal the jab and utilizing every inch of the ring to gain superior positioning on him at every turn. Pascal is beginning to eat long sequences of straight punches, upwards of half a dozen unanswered. Pascal in retreat momentarily but the crowd eggs him on and he whips some hooks at the body marching forward and clinches. The commentators admonish that you can't steal a round like that fighting just ten seconds. True, and besides, Eifert closes the show with some 1-2s zinging into Pascal's forehead backing him into a corner.

10-9 Eifert

40-36 Eifert

 

"WALK HIM DOWN, WALK HIM DOWN!"

...uh yeah, guys, I don't think Eifert is planning to cooperate.