NBC Sports: Gabriel Rosado vs. Charles Whittaker & Ronald Cruz vs. Antwone Smith RBR

Round 1

Smith jabs and backs Cruz up to the ropes. Cruz steps to his left, guard up, pawing a jab. A few digs to the body by Smith. Cruz moves in and out, jabbing into Smith's gloves. Smith is much busier through the first minute, barking and jabbing and digging short right uppercuts to the body while dipping in. Smith rolls his shoulder coming forward, catching a Cruz 1-2 aimed to the body on his left forearm. Smith turns his back into another body combo from Cruz. Chopping right by Smith. Barking double jab. Nice left hook stepping around by Smith. Left hook to the body by Smith to round out a barking combo. Cruz sticks his jab into Smith's chest but gets his fist pinned between both of Smith's. Cruz reaches with a right to the body but falls short as Smith steps around him and thumps the body with both hands. Nice double left uppercut downstairs by Smith. Cruz answers with a straight right hand out of his tight guard. Cruz jabs into Smith's gloves and then drops a right to the stomach, landing. Smith pushes Cruz to the ropes with a right to the body but gets countered to the head.

10-9 Smith

 

This is better than expected.

 

Longer than that, ever since the loss to Angulo really.

That loss to Pooh Ennis may have been home cooking.

 

I didn't even think it was really close.

Freddie Roach was giving credit to Cruz for body punches before he'd even landed any.

Smith outworked him by a lot.

 

Round 2

Smith steps around Cruz with his left held low and shoulder popped up, jabbing and barking. Cruz tries to move straight in and gets hooked in the face as Smith turns him. Smith has already reddened Cruz's nose, may have bloodied it. Smith is turning the left over as an upper-hook while circling. Cruz misses with jabs and swipes with sloppy right hands rising from the pocket, Smith easily stepping around and countering with jabs and hooks.

20-18 Smith

 

:yep

...and before that, the guy who was poised to become a contender when he inexplicably let himself be bullied & upset by underdog Lanardo Tyner in an uninspired ShoBox performance (that sort of laid the groundwork for most of his career since)

 

Round 3

Smith is moving, keeping Cruz out of rhythm, barking and jabbing up into his face. Left hooks up top when Cruz moves in. Smith triples the barking jab to the face and then whips a right hand around to the body. Cruz is stepping in behind a high turtle shell and reaching with his own slapping body shots or jabs into the guard of Smith. A few rights connect for Cruz, mostly to the body after setting up with throwaway jabs up top, but Smith is rolling his back into them and countering with left upper-hooks and chopping rights while backing up. Accurate jabs through the guard by Smith. A right hand over the top by Cruz, and the crowd goes wild even though it didn't land very cleanly.

10-9 Smith

30-27 Smith