PBC on FS1: Alexis Santiago vs. Erik Ruiz & Lionell Thompson vs. Paul Parker RBR

Round 4

Santiago is landing the left hook regularly while gliding on a cushion of air, making Ruiz spin clockwise in a steady lull. Santiago controlling the pace and matching Ruiz punch for punch in all the exchanges, usually getting in a bit more leather and rolling with shots a little better with his sinuous upper body movements and constant motion. Santiago landing the uppercut as Ruiz beelines for him and bangs away diligently. Both men executing their game plan well. Santiago's jab and movement the key difference.

10-9 Santiago

40-36 Santiago

 

Round 5

Santiago is working the left hook on the inside, then skittering out and turning his body with his left arm raised like a bracer to deflect Ruiz's shots, working from long range with aim-calibrating jabs and fully extended straight body shots. Ruiz is hustling in, cutting the ring off as best he can, and throwing in combination after blocking or soaking up the jab in multiples from Santiago. Ruiz slowing down only when skewered with a near-horizontal uppercut from Santiago.

10-9 Santiago

50-45 Santiago

 

Halfway over. :cry:

Wish this was a 12-rounder.

 

Round 6

Santiago is throwing jabs at the face, then immediately dipping to his left and working a left upper-hook as Ruiz taps him on the chest with a right uppercut. Both men are making defensive adjustments in the middle of their own well-calculated offensive bursts. Combinations being parried and ducked under, then countered, both ways. Santiago continues to edge the action, sometimes only just.

10-9 Santiago

60-54 Santiago

 

This is one of those fights where I'm probably going to end up having it a shutout but I already want a rematch anyway. It's just beautiful to watch, and (despite having a clearly classier operator between them) not a gross mismatch at all.

 

Round 7

Santiago is getting ripped with some big left hooks on the frontal rib but cheating himself around so that Ruiz can't reach his liver. Santiago is throwing his 1-2, dropping his chin to his chest and descending into a belly-flop onto the air just above the Corona logo, withdrawing from the pocket before reassembling himself on the outside, standing upright to leave a trickle of jabs near Ruiz's face.

10-9 Santiago

70-63 Santiago

 

Am I the only person loving this?

 

Round 8

Santiago is throwing his big left hook up top and then attacking the body with no reprieve in between. Ruiz is given no quarter and unable to get his shots off, and he does seem to have a tendency when put on the defensive to wait his turn, which Santiago appears to have picked up on. Ruiz is getting hit 4-5 times before instinct kicks in and makes him start to blindly fire uppercuts while breaking formation after leaning in with his forelimbs blanketing himself. Ruiz lunges in with a double jab and hooks off it, and Santiago is wobbled! Santiago counters with a left uppercut jumping in! Right hand by Ruiz!

10-9 Santiago

80-72 Santiago