James DeGale vs. Paul Smith RBR

Round 1

Cleverly is the aggressor. Mohammedi is pawing with his jab and leaning away from the straight power punches (including a souped-up jab) from Clev. Mohammedi is defending well and taking very little damage but not putting much offense together. He chops with an overhand right that whistles past Clev's ear. Cleverly starts to close the gap a bit and nearly catches Mohammedi with a combo. Mohammedi is relying on his head and upper body movement to preserve him as his hands stay low.

10-9 Cleverly

 

Round 2

Cleverly is following patiently and raking Mohammedi with efficient jabs, keeping loose with some rolling of his shoulders and ritualistic flexing of his arms. Mohammedi is trying to keep just past the tip of Cleverly's reach. They clinch and spin into a corner as Mohammedi blocks an advance. They miss a few long jabs, each unable to locate the moving head of the other. They watch each other from mid range until Mohammedi lunges in and gets Cleverly into a corner with some wild line drives. They clinch up yet again.

20-18 Cleverly

 

Round 3

Cleverly is accurate with his long, cracking jab. Mohammedi is cautiously poised on the outside. Mohammedi doing a good bit of grabbing when Cleverly arrives in his personal space. Cleverly is catching Mohammedi with some incidental contact, mostly with the long jab, as Mohammedi continues to employ his jerk-and-lean defense. A few long right hands from Cleverly graze the Jordanian's chin. Mohammedi is doing more clinching than punching.

30-27

 

Round 4

Mohammedi keeps parachuting inside to hold and hit. Cleverly doesn't bother much with infighting and waits to get broken up. Once outside again, Cleverly's jab continues to do the overwhelming majority of the scoring. Mohammedi paws with his own shorter jab but with no real intention of landing it, keeping his neck bent backward to remove his skull from harm's way. Cleverly isn't rushing in stupidly, allowing Mohammedi to posture unmolested other than a few jabs. Cleverly does land a lunging hook when Mohammedi walks to the ropes, and then rubs his glove against his eye with a pained expression after the bell. Maybe a thumb got in there?

40-36

 

Round 5

Cleverly is now playing possum, backing up to lure Mohammedi in. Mohammedi isn't taking the bait. Cleverly jabs the face of Mohammedi regularly. A sloppy Mohammedi 1-2 is ducked and Cleverly winds up in a headlock. Mohammedi waves his left glove in the air and then thrusts it out as a jab but Cleverly's reflexes trump his trickery. Cleverly is trying to get Mohammedi looking at his own jab and then surprise him with a long lead right hand to mix it up.

50-45

Horrible match.