HBO: Dmitry Yuriyevich Bivol vs. Jean-Thenistor Pascal & Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Isaac Zarate RBR

Round 3

Zarate is lowering the drawbridge from his jaw the right jab, aiming for the bottom of his fellow southpaw's chin, easily sidestepped and countered in combinations by Akhmadaliev. Zarate is stunned repeatedly by three- and four-pieces (1-2-3-2) when Akhmadaliev propels himself up off either heel, bouncing them off the canvas for extra buoyancy and torque. Akhmadaliev is a little spastic in his work, just spraying leather all over Zarate, but with little to worry about in return as Zarate's sporadic counterattacks remain uncoordinated, and mostly arm punches.

10-9 Akhmadaliev (nearly 10-8, without a KD)

30-27 Akhmadaliev

 

Lederman has it 29-28 Akhmadaliev, giving the second to Zarate and clarifying that Akhmadaliev "did just enough" in the first, indicating that but for a couple of punches either way he might have currently reached a card with Zarate in front.

 

Round 4

Akhmadaliev is throwing 1-2s after Zarate has roughed him up a bit in the middle of the ring, playing bumper-cars, landing some elbows and pushing down on the back of Akhmadaliev's head. Almost one hundred percent of the clean legal shots landed are coming from Akhmadaliev, while his connect percentage is damn near one hundred percent itself. Zarate just spoiling and roughhousing in there, and does get in a few incidental rabbit punches and sweeping blows that glance off Akhmadaliev's temples while the Uzbek is stirring up a froth with an extended combo, getting a little greedy.

10-9 Akhmadaliev

40-36 Akhmadaliev

 

Nah, that's just his face.

 

Lederman has it 39-37 Akhmadaliev.