Souleymane M'Baye vs. Ismael El Massoudi RBR

Right. Disgraceful effort. It's only the European Cruiserweight title (honestly more than Huebner looks to have deserved a shot at), but have some pride and give a good account of yourself.

 

Political hero maybe? :conf It looks like half of Marrakech is there.

The ring appears to have been built right in the main square of the city.

 

Round 1

El Massoudi is already much shorter but immediately adopts a strategy of crouching down low as he runs donuts around M'Baye, trying to stay under the plane of the jab. M'Baye just stalks him and blocks the desperate overhand flurries he darts in with from the outside before getting back to his crouching circles. M'Baye not throwing a whole lot, just tossing out jabs while coming forward at a relaxed pace as El Massoudi bounces around wasting energy. Nice quick right hand by M'Baye catches El Massoudi while ducking down to the side. M'Baye jabs high and catches the palms of El Massoudi's gloves. Brief clinch as M'Baye tries to reach out and grab El Massoudi circling close. Short right by M'Baye as they separate. El Massoudi is slapping some flurries through while quickly circling just in front of M'Baye. They lean together a moment and M'Baye is caught with a right hand just as he is pulling back after El Massoudi had feinted the same shot.

:think

Way too little overall from M'Baye, although he's clearly the classier boxer. He connected twice.

10-9 El Massoudi

 

Round 2

El Massoudi windmills an overhand right and somehow lands it against the side of M'Baye's head. M'Baye is just pawing jabs at the hyperactive El Massoudi, who keeps changing directions while circling in his crouch and darting in with slapping flurries up top. El Massoudi is dancing around on bent knees, flipping jabs and rights out of his crouch. Single pot shots from outside by El Massoudi, a blur from every angle as he zig zags around M'Baye. One good hook gets through for M'Baye on the moving target, but grazes as El Massoudi rolls with it as he keeps moving to his own left. They exchange and both miss. M'Baye lands a clubbing right hand behind the head.

20-18 El Massoudi

 

Richie Woodhall has the same score as mine. The EuroSport play by play man has it 19-19.

They summarize it very well: untidy but moderately effective work by El Massoudi, and just nowhere near enough work put in by M'Baye.

 

Round 3

El Massoudi is flitting around and lobbing wide shots from either side. M'Baye just stands in the center of the ring watching El Massoudi glide around him, or follows tentatively with just a few jabs unfolding half-heartedly in his direction. They hook together as El Massoudi ducks to his left, and only El Massoudi lands. M'Baye is trying to lean above the waist to dodge shots but the busy and chaotic attacks of El Massoudi always result in at least one clean touch.

30-27 El Massoudi

 

Round 4

Finally M'Baye lands a good right as he comes forward to meet El Massoudi. Furious exchanges now, M'Baye coming straight forward and El Massoudi staying erratic and fluid with his constant circling movements. El Massoudi is still dropping some errant bombs on M'Baye, particularly as he leaps around to his flank - but M'Baye has timed and landed enough hard overhand rights to secure his first round on my card. El Massoudi is clearly affected by the right hands and moves off in a wide circle whenever he's hit with one. M'Baye is still inaccurate with his left hook, though - being made to miss badly by the ducking and rolling of El Massoudi.

10-9 M'Baye

39-37 El Massoudi

 

Round 5

Very wide circling by El Massoudi. Almost completely disengaging. M'Baye pressures his way in, hunching his shoulders forward and coiling himself to throw right hands. El Massoudi is nearly trapped on the ropes as M'Baye spears him with rights and starts to snap the left jab out. M'Baye is atop him and lands a forearm to the top of the head. El Massoudi's glove touches the canvas as a direct result, but it's ruled a slip/push. M'Baye is aggressively jabbing and slashing with his right, breathing down El Massoudi's neck and forcing him to grab and spring away. El Massoudi is flailing his arms out to counter but M'Baye is landing the sharper stuff, despite his jab getting ducked more often than not. The right hand of M'Baye is having an effect even when it only glances.

10-9 M'Baye

48-47 El Massoudi

 

Round 6

El Massoudi runs to his left, giving M'Baye a wide berth. El Massoudi then slingshots himself to the right and loops his right hand to the body. M'Baye is ignoring all the nonsense, just marching insistently in the general vicinity of El Massoudi and letting his long arms and hand speed make up the difference. Good right hand by M'Baye. El Massoudi wings up a hook while ducking and gliding, and tries to tie up when M'Baye gets right up close. M'Baye is sharp shooting with the jab until he gets within firing range for his overhand right, and trying to get that in before El Massoudi can grab him.

10-9 M'Baye

57 apiece.

 

Round 7

El Massoudi is trying to line up his awkward uppercut as M'Baye advances. M'Baye is throwing the right hard, only occasionally using the jab to set it up. El Massoudi is actually landing some good uppercuts and body shots as they lean in together. They clasp into a wrestling clinch, and get broken up. El Massoudi circles left then right, and back again. M'Baye waits and watches as his target remains just out of reach. Wide left hook by M'Baye misses, and El Massoudi tags him with an overhand right. Now a left upper-hook as he ducks by under M'Baye's elbow.

Only a couple of good shots for M'Baye there, and honestly El Massoudi matched them (and more than dwarfed his output).

10-9 El Massoudi

67-66 El Massoudi, back out in front.

 

Round 8

M'Baye jabs and pursues, as El Massoudi trots around him popping his 1-2 and high slapping combos on the go. Nobody has landed anything meaningful more than a minute in, mostly due to their proximity. M'Baye isn't able to close in on El Massoudi. A jab and a slapping flurry around the side from El Massoudi before he grabs in the nick of time before M'Baye can drill him with a short right hand. M'Baye tries a hook and misses yet again, getting grabbed. A right hand just brushes the side of El Massoudi's bowed and moving head. El Massoudi keeps fluttering past M'Baye and slapping him, while avoiding that right hand. M'Baye is keeping his jab in his pocket.

10-9 El Massoudi

77-75 El Massoudi

 

Round 9

El Massoudi hooks out while drifting to his left and then bounds to his right. Straight jabs and lots of movement on the outside by El Massoudi, and wide slapping flurries in the clinch as M'Baye walks him down. M'Baye starts trying to dig hard uppercuts at oblique angles to the stomach as they come together. El Massoudi circles back out on the break and flicks out a jab and a lead right as he spins M'Baye around. M'Baye again cuts off the ring but doesn't get a punch off, looking for one big money shot with a short right that he doesn't have a prayer of landing with El Massoudi's slippery nature.

10-9 El Massoudi

87-84 Ismael El Massoudi