MTK: Tyrone McCullagh vs. Alvaro Rodríguez Salcedo & Troy Williamson vs. Ionut Trandafir Ilie RBR

Well the library I'm sitting in closes in an hour, so... you might have just gotten yourself roped into main event duty.

 

I don't wanna sound too ungrateful about live boxing coverage, but...I do kinda resent MTK for putting this on YT and thus compelling me to watch the whole miserable card, on principle.

 

60-54 Ellis.

Yet another referee-scored undramatic shutout for the house fighter. If you're into that kind of thing, EVERYBODY DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND CUE UP THE VIDEO LINKED IN THE OP FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT!!!

 

Tyrone McCullagh vs. Alvaro Rodríguez Salcedo, 10 rounds @ super bantamweight

 

Round 1

McCullagh is rowing out a series of quick southpaw jabs as Rodríguez dances around him, showing a style that become fairly commonplace among Spaniards, all of them up to a certain point for better or worse aping the posture & mannerisms of Sergio Gabriel Martínez. Rodríguez is carrying his gloves down by his knees and looking to lunge in with a hair-brushing jab or thrust a right into the belly every time McCullagh darts in with his quick hummingbird multi-jab flutters. Nothing much clean for Rodríguez.

10-9 McCullagh

 

Rodríguez went ten with Thomas Patrick Ward, his best opponent to date on paper, but lest we think stopping him would be some major statement for McCullagh:

Ward has only 4 kayos in 26 bouts.
Rodríguez actually has a KO loss to a 6-1 countryman (officially listed as NC), but it was overturned when the other Spaniard tested positive for "Hydroxyethyl starch".

 

Round 2

McCullagh is veering offline to keep well clear of Rodríguez's single-blast right hand leads, riding them if & when they do make glancing contact, which is a minority of times. Rodríguez is getting his nose pressed like an elevator call button, and blood is drawn from it by the midway point, with McCullagh targeting it further in the ensuing ninety seconds, causing it to drip liberally. Just minimal lateral and in-and-out movement from McCullagh has Rodríguez stumped.

10-9 McCullagh

20-18 McCullagh

 

...hopefully, I've got stuff to do tonight.

 

Round 3

Rodríguez is getting in the odd right hand, more creditable to dumb luck than his own timing. McCullagh is floating the right jab up into Rodríguez's face at long range, then ducking in and pounding a left onto the belt line, ducking beneath a cuffing hook on the way out. Rodríguez keeps hoisting up his saggy trunks every few steps as they circle in the middle of the ring, paying them keener mind than his defense as the jab continues to pay frequent calls with the front door unguarded.

10-9 McCullagh

30-27 McCullagh

 

The commentator says "unless you happen to get a KO shot, you're not going anywhere if you're Rodríguez with this strategy.."

Dude, the kid has scored ONE stoppage, ever, in his career. He probably couldn't get a KO shot with a kendo stick, if McCullagh put both hands behind his back and stuck his chin out with his eyes closed.

 

Round 4

Rodríguez is standing off, arms hanging low, trying in vain to catch McCullagh with intermittent counters, all while the Northern Irishman continues to score jabs unabated, with some body shots now mixed in from medium-long range. McCullagh is dominating and hardly breaking a sweat, having it all his way, jogging in place to keep his muscles from atrophying, fidgety, bored.

10-9 McCullagh

40-36 McCullagh

 

The only remotely interesting thing left about this is whether or not "White Chocolate" is able to get rid of Rodríguez inside the distance. Coming up on the halfway point... hard "maybe"...

 

60-54 McCullagh...

Getting bally untidy, as the Brits would say.