ESPN5/Aksyon TV Survival Instinct: Mark Anthony Barriga vs. Gabriel Emilio Mendoza Lora RBR

Round 5

Banal is spanking the outer hip & upper buttock of Suro with his right hook, dropping it just past Suro's left hand which is resting low on his thigh. Suro is taking a few stabs at Banal now with headhunting straight flurries, but missing. Banal not even needing to summon that much slickness, just turning his shoulder and Suro is meeting him halfway and doing the rest with his abysmal aim (or lack thereof). Banal is throwing 1-2s at the chest and brings a left cross doubled up into the forehead.

10-9 Banal

50-45 Banal

 

Shame you latecomers are getting like the worst fight of the undercard as the co-feature. There were some much better ones before this.

 

OMG, what, they elevated this into a 10-rounder?

This stinker, of all fights, and not Paclar vs. Mama?!?

 

Round 6

Banal is jabbing into the waiting forearms of Suro, who is now cognizant of the body attack and defending against it with a standoffish refusal to engage. Banal not pressing the issue much, pawing the jab, feeling out distance, maybe ziplining in a left hand or trying an uppercut on the body from outside but not putting his boot heel on Suro's throat like he could. Suro being extremely negative, ducking through the ring ropes at one point shortly before the bell. He came close to turning his back at a few points in the round, too.

10-9 Banal

60-54 Banal

 

Round 7

Banal is jabbing & hooking the body with his right and shooting lefts into the jaw. Suro is crashing his right hand into Banal's guard, attempting to take the reins but not able to impose himself...or even connect on a single clean punch. Suro getting in a few back of the neck shots in clinches, that's all. Suro's jabs 100% blocked. Banal is leaning to his right and caressing the cheek of Suro with his right jab. Banal stiff-arms Suro backwards a few steps, then resumes pawing at him with the southpaw jab. Nice left uppercut beneath the elbows from Banal, knocking Suro back another involuntary step. Suro sends another right hand rolling slowly down the pipe and gets blocked.

10-9 Banal

70-63 Banal

 

This is one banal fight.

...and no, I didn't forget any capitalization in that sentence.

 

Round 8

Banal is jabbing the arms, hooking around them and landing on the bicep. Only the left hand getting through very well, bursting through Suro's guard and tapping him on the nose, or landing undefended on the belt line. Banal is leading with left hands from outside, prodding Suro across the ring. Quick right hook on the hip by Banal. Suro is starting to look like he's feeling the pace, maybe ready to quit, bad body language. He tries a half-hearted uppercut and then swallows Banal in a clinch.

10-9 Banal

80-72 Banal

 

Round 9

Banal is spraying right jabs at Suro, pushing him into the ropes until - some kind of foul, causing Banal to walk away in frustration. Ref warns Suro. Not clear what it was, they weren't really close enough for a head clash. Thumbed his eye maybe? Banal is jabbing with the right, uppercutting with the left, and shoving Suro off when he tries to fall atop him like a wet blanket and clinch. Banal is skating to his right, and Suro gets cheeky with a flurry up top, once more draping himself over Banal and pressing him into the ropes until the ref separates them. 1-2 by Banal. Suro ducks the next left hand and grabs Banal around the chest. Banal flurrying now, wasting energy with sloppy quick punches inside, smothering himself. Banal seems to realize how awkwardly ineffective his attempts at infighting feel and wisely jogs outside to find a more optimal range. Jabs from Banal. Suro is spoiling like mad, dipping to one side, grabbing at Banal's trunk.

10-9 Banal

90-81 Banal

 

Round 10

Banal is looking to close the show now, apparently satisfied with having gotten in enough rounds to shake rust. Sustained body attack from Banal. Time out called at the worst possible moment to fix tape on Banal's gloves. Time in. Banal is swapping jabs with Suro and compassing counterclockwise around him. Banal cuts in and rams his bent right arm into Suro after pawing out a jab. Right hook grazes the back of Suro's head as Banal tries frothing up a combo in the pocket. Suro is leaning back away from the Banal jab while marching forward. Banal catches him walking in with a left hand and nearly drops him. Suro catches himself and ties up. Another head clash, I think intentional on Suro's part there. Banal is scraping the bald pate of Suro with the inside of his right arm while jabbing. Suro's gum shield out. Time in. Banal is throwing 1-2s at the face and big right hooks at the body. Banal starting to pour on the pressure, not going to be in time, Suro has survived.

10-9 Banal

100-90 Banal