Souleymane M'Baye vs. Ismael El Massoudi RBR

Oh yeah, they did say he was Moroccan. :think I thought they were both French, and was just assuming M'Baye would be the benefactor of any sketchy decision on account of being the bigger name.

 

Is that what that was?? :rofl

 

...as it turns out, this post would have been valid just an hour later.

To answer the original question, no he didn't quite look shot - more like a guy who hadn't bothered with a very intense camp coming off a long layoff, and who expected his opponent to simply roll over at the first whiff of a right hand. M'Baye really did give the impression that he didn't do any drills with his left hand. The jab and hook were pathetic, as was his work rate in virtually every round. Honestly his defense has to be subjected to scathing criticism as well. El Massoudi is very short on punching technique, yet he was catching the much taller M'Baye nearly at will sometimes with some of those most wild and visible-from-miles-away windmilling shots you'll ever see...and thrown while off balance and mid-run with his momentum shifted the opposite way in most cases.

When M'Baye actually stalked with intent he cut the ring off in no time, so his legs aren't gone. Whenever he threw a right hand it was quick and powerful - he just didn't seem to want to unless El Massoudi was right in the sweet spot at the precise range that M'Baye felt like firing from. If El Massoudi was too close or too far, or moved his head offline in the slightest M'Baye just got frustrated and appeared to think "Well the hell with it..." and every time he tried to wing one on the inside he just clipped El Massoudi across the back. Almost no uppercuts, or any other adjustment made for someone constantly ducking right in front of him.

 

Maybe that was him having second thoughts about taking on the tough and jacked Frenchman after seeing him in person, and mentally "checked out" before the first bell. :yep He ultimately got beaten about as decisively as the Axis did.