ESPN2 FNF: Elvir Muriqi vs. Blake Caparello & Luis Rosa Jr. vs. Jorge Diaz RBR

Blake Caparello vs. Elvir Muriqi, 10 rounds @ light heavyweight

 

Round 1

Caparello is sticking the right jab and takes sliding baby steps away to make Muriqi miss his own jab. Left uppercut by Caparello left in Muriqi's path. Right jab by Caparello, moving to his left. Muriqi gets close and wraps his left arm around Caparello's neck, plugging rights to the body.

10-9 Caparello

 

Apparently their six-year pairing ended on unpleasant terms (at least in Teddy's mind) since Atlas, who trained Muriqi for much of his career, is throwing him under the bus as having a worse chin than everybody thinks.

 

Round 2

1-2 by Caparello. Muriqi keeps walking into the 1-2, head getting rocked. Lead left uppercut by Caparello. Muriqi is following Caparello around the ring, Caparello holding both arms low and feinting with the jab before planting his feet and thrusting in hard straight lefts. Muriqi is pumping the jab and looking to walk Caparello into a corner with a right on the chest. Caparello is backing away from Muriqi's jab, making him reach and miss with it, then stepping forward off the ropes with a left hand. Upward flurry by Muriqi, dodged with a backward lean and countered by a southpaw 1-2.

10-9 Caparello

20-18 Caparello

 

Doctor's initial assessment: neurological deficiencies observed in Jorge Diaz backstage...

 

Round 3

Caparello is hunching up his shoulders and twisting as he moves away from Muriqi, slipping the jab or letting it fall short. Counter right jabs and left crosses by Caparello. Muriqi is plodding in with high straight flurries as Caparello bends over to his side under them. Caparello is backed into a corner, right arm down by his leg, firing the straight left from under his chin. Muriqi hammers the ribs with a series of punches that gets Caparello moving along the ropes, countering with right jabs.

10-9 Caparello

30-27 Caparello

 

They were saying there is a hospital a mile away but he specifically requested they let him go to another one so he can meet his son.

 

Being inducted into the New York Boxing Hall of Fame this year:

Howard Davis Jr.
Floyd Paterson
Cus D'Amato
Teddy Atlas

 

Round 4

Caparello is willingly backing into a corner, waiting for Muriqi, twisting his body away with his right arm by his side and left glove by his chin to catch shots. Counter lefts by Caparello as Muriqi presses in. 1-2 by Muriqi not reaching as Caparello flattens himself into the corner. Caparello is starting to put shots together, coming in with a right jab, left hand, and right hook before easing off. Muriqi follows, not punching.

10-9 Caparello

40-36 Caparello