HBO (RIP) BAD: Cecilia Carmen Linda Brækhus vs. Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes RBR

16 minutes of HBO boxing remain, tops.

 

Round 3

Brækhus is outscoring Magdziak Lopes as they fence with their jabs while twirling around each other in the center of the ring, but not by too much. Both landing nice jabs. Brækhus, however, is also putting in the right cross equalizer, snapping Magdziak Lopes' head back at times. Magdziak Lopes now finds her own right hand, but can't land it behind the jab in succession as well as Brækhus can. The champ more fluid with her combos and thrusting in more confidently. Lots of clinching in the final 20 seconds.

10-9 Brækhus

39-27 Brækhus

 

Harold Lederman has it 29-28 Brækhus, giving Magdziak Lopes round 3.

 

Round 4

Brækhus is again content to exchange jabs with Magdziak Lopes as they circle each other, the pace remaining lackadaisical. Magdziak Lopes staying alert, hopping laterally on her toes, peppering in a few 1-2s, but the sharper combos are coming from Brækhus. Suddenly a double right hand from the champ stuns Magdziak Lopes and she comes zooming in with another, deflected off the inner wrist as Magdziak Lopes trots off to one side.

10-9 Brækhus

40-36 Brækhus

 

Round 5

Brækhus is finding it a little more difficult now to get past the left jab of the challenger as the Polish-American woman is now leaving it suspended fully unfurled, the way Brækhus' stablemate Wladimir Klitschko used to. Magdziak Lopes using her length and height well, now, and snapping quick matador turns when Brækhus comes soaring in with high 1-2s or left hook & right hand combos, which connect occasionally but only grazing as Magdziak Lopes pulls back. Magdziak Lopes turning her and landing counter jabs nicely.

10-9 Magdziak Lopes

49-46 Brækhus

 

Round 6

Brækhus is hurling big right hands up top. Magdziak Lopes is cautious, staying off. Brækhus whipping hooks now. Brækhus has totally eschewed the jab, throwing power leads, mostly headhunting but a few downstairs. Magdziak Lopes has gone totally defensive, and has a little mouse under her eye. Jabs and 1-2-1s from outside by Magdziak Lopes, tickling Brækhus on the neck and boob, mostly hitting arms.

10-9 Brækhus, not a lot actually landed but she was the ring general.

59-55 Brækhus

 

Harold Lederman has it 59-55 Brækhus.

 

Round 7

Brækhus is throwing superman (or rather superwoman?) right hands flying in. Magdziak Lopes is pushing out counter jabs and long right hands while backing up diagonally to either side, zigzagging and keeping off the ropes. Brækhus is mostly catching shots on her inner arms or parrying with backhanded motions, piercing her way inside and scoring with short combos. Long jabs dusted from above by Magdziak Lopes.

10-9 Brækhus, close

69-64 Brækhus

 

Round 8

Brækhus is doubling her jab into the face of Magdziak Lopes. Nice movement outside by the challenger, keeping herself off-center and taking some of the edge off Brækhus' jabs by remaining kinetic. Some good work by Magdziak Lopes putting a triple jab in Brækhus' face to blind her, although she isn't touching her with it much. Magdziak Lopes spoiling effectively, although I'm not sure her work is good enough for a share on points.

10-9 Brækhus

79-73 Brækhus

 

Wayne Lopes assures his wife and protege that she won the eighth. Meh. Can't speak for the official judges but I didn't give it to her, and neither did Harold Lederman.

 

Round 9

Brækhus is making a small adjustment now, craning her spine a little and jabbing the bare midriff as Magdziak Lopes has made a more difficult target of her own head by staying tall and boxing at range. Magdziak Lopes is jabbing into the face of Brækhus, pushing her jab, too close to get full snap on it, her palm mushing softly into the nose of the champion as her knuckles are pushed backward, her limp not held solidly enough to punch through. Body shots from Brækhus.

10-9 Brækhus

89-82 Brækhus

 

Lederman has it 89-82 Brækhus.

 

Round 10

Brækhus is cutting the ring off, jabbing Magdziak Lopes in her throat and cleavage, and jamming hard right hands into her left cheek. Magdziak Lopes is standing her ground a bit in the final minute, although she isn't punching back much, just a few jabs. Magdziak Lopes blocking what she can, using a little head movement, not running or tying up to her credit, but clearly here to survive and going to do so.

10-9 Brækhus

99-91 Brækhus

 

Official cards:

Jerry Cantu 100-90
Alejandro Rochin 100-90
Edward Hernandez 99-91

UD for Brækhus

 

Final stats:

Power
Brækhus 129 of 255, 51%
Magdziak Lopes 37 of 164, 23%

Total
Brækhus 143 of 349, 41%
Magdziak Lopes 51 of 449, 11%