MTK Global Kazakhstan: Viktor Kotochigov vs. Javier José Clavero RBR

Round 10

Kotochigov is scratching at Clavero's face with the jab running in now, trying again when Clavero pulls the rug out from under him and barely evades it, and virtually always getting stuck in with the second try at least. Clavero being rocked by even the jabs now, exhausted. Clavero still flurrying as he circles as rapidly as he can, but Kotochigov is belting him with short rights and then cutting off his escape route with soft half-pulled but still deterrent left hooks.

10-9 Kotochigov

100-90 Kotochigov

 

Clavero has only been stopped twice, by Armenian-Russian lightweight Aik Shakhnazaryan and by countryman José Hugo Acevedo. Neither of them is a monstrous elite puncher, but I'm not going to judge Kotochigov too harshly for shutting him out here. It was a good performance, and Clavero, while rather easy to hit & hurt, is a slippery guy with good survival instincts.

 

Official cards:

Balazonia 100-90
Alosarosa 100-90
Tusinde 100-90

UD for Kotochigov

 

The ring announcer interviews Kotochigov, asking questions in Kazakh and translating into English, then listening to Kotochigov's reply and translating it for the international viewing audience. Pretty damn considerate, actually.

 

Kotochigov says he was expecting a tactical affair coming in, anticipating it going ten full rounds, and knew Clavero was a serious opponent because of his record.

 

Another domestic product, Kazakh southpaw boxer-puncher Sultan Suleiman Zaurbek, fought Leshan Li of Guangzhou, China for the vacant WBC Youth super featherweight title in the co-main event.

If you want to watch it starts about 18 minutes into the video embedded in the OP.

Spoiler

Zaurbek retired Li after four rounds - but he might be a bit of a glass cannon. He kicked Li's ass throughout most of the 4th but also got badly rocked himself at one point

 

Oh, there was an upset on the undercard too (but not part of that YT stream)... local prospect Iskander Kharsan of Almaty entered 7-0 (6) but was shocked by Thomas Essomba, dropped multiple times and stopped in 3. Now two upsets in a row for the Cameroonian-British lefty journeyman, who also took Sean McGoldrick's zero by UD in August.