Stephen Smith vs. John Simpson II & David Price vs. Raphael Butler RBR

Yeah, Robert's further along but David seems to be getting on a bit of a fast track. A win over John puts him right up for a British HW title shot. If he beats Chisora in the next year, he'd not be too far off from making sense as an opponent for Helenius (especially as Chisora's already brushed closer with a world title shot than Helenius, deservedly or not).

 

****, the referee is one of the judges that gave it to Smith last time. atsch

He also scored a bout to Dazzo Williams earlier in Simpson's career (which many considered a robbery as well).

 

Round 1

Smith opens with a huge left hook, and keeps aggressively pushing in behind his jab. Simpson is lobbing in low rights to the body and pawing lefts up top while circling. Smith is blasting away with rapid-fire right hands. Simpson is wobbled! Smith slams away at him with hard rights and lefts, loading up and teeing off! Simpson is leaning in and catching a lot on the gloves but still getting rocked. Simpson survives long enough for Smith to slow his attack. Simpson throws a few volleys of uppercuts while leaning inside but nowhere near enough to salvage the round.

10-9 Smith

 

Round 2

Simpson again comes in looping wide hatchets with either arm. Smith again drives a right down the middle and vibrates his skull. Simpson keeps working his way in and yanks Smith into a clinch, where he does some infighting. Smith rides it out, waiting for the break and starting to box on the outside behind his jab. Simpson struggles to get his 1-2 delivered straight, and Smith ducks and dodges it with ease. Simpson is mostly using the 1-2 to try and carry himself inside to do some work up close. They hold and hit each other aside the head, and are both warned by Phil Edwards as he cuffs his arms around their necks like schoolchildren.

20-18 Smith

 

Round 3

Simpson is putting his right uppercut and left hook combos together coming forward, a few getting dangerously close but missing by just enough for Smith to land short hard counters while rolling his head and shoulders to the side. Very good body work by Smith while circling close. Simpson is missing a lot. Smith jabs him in the throat and simultaneously ducks off to the side to evade a big right hand. Smith is landing to the head and body and taking very little cleanly in reply. Simpson is flipping his hands right out and discouraging Smith, forcing some tangles and wrestling and knocking Smith's fists aside often enough to decrease his damage taken by quite a lot.

Closer round, 30-27 Smith

 

Round 4

Smith once more shoots right through Simpson's slower and wider attack, and gets him retreating under heavy fire. They get a bit rough and Phil Edwards again huddles them together to caution them in a stern but gentle professorial manner. Simpson is warned again moments later. Again, for a rabbit punch. Simpson is having a decent round, though. Right hands landing straight, and flipped around beneath as uppercuts. Smith isn't deterring him with counters, instead just trying to stay on the move and defend. Simpson is getting right in there and digging in a left hook spur to the body. Nice sustained inside attack by Simpson as Smith tries to weave out.

39-37 Smith

 

Round 5

Big lunging 1-2 by Smith. Simpson stumbles away from it and rushes in before Smith can gather himself. Simpson's footwork isn't smooth or very fast but he has excellent command of distance, to help nullify that and his poor hand speed. Simpson is just bossing it, walking straight through Smith's light counters and hammering away. Stern final warning for Simpson. He's being rough but none of it seems flagrant, all just heat of the battle. (stuff like grabbing and pulling the back of the head, hitting behind it, using some forearm etc.) Simpson is keeping him held tight and punishing him.

48-47 Smith

 

Round 6

Simpson is getting in there with his chopping right hands (with his feet never ceasing to move forward as he throws) and cracking body shots. Smith is looking to jab and grab while retreating. Simpson catches him with some realy nice stuff, the bottom of his right glove pounding Smith on the forehead as he leans into a clinch and an uppercut connecting on his chin after he's grabbed on. Simpson is actually ducking and slipping some of Smith's shots now on the way in, with Smith looking a bit arm weary.

57 all

 

Round 7

Simpson comes raging in with a nice sequence, putting right hands behind all manner of set-up with his left (jab, hook, grip of the neck). MASSIVE rights landing for Simpson, and Smith wobbles a bit before holding on. Smith lays on him and presses Simpson into the ropes, while getting cracked to the body by the busier infighter. Another chopping right hand by Simpson shakes Smith's face as he tries to lean in and push his way into a tie-up. Simpson is just owning the inside. Smith lands a good combo before a break is called and gets out behind his jab. Simpson actually lands his own long jab catching Smith circling out, and then steps in to land an uppercut with as much forearm scraping Smith's face as knuckle.

67-66 Simpson

 

Round 8

Simpson coming on, throwing nonstop. Smith hurt by a right!!!! Smith holds on for dear life. Smith now trots out, keeping plenty of distance...seeming clear headed. Simpson marches up and whacks him again with a hard chopping right to the temple. Smith isn't throwing a thing. It's all Simpson, wailing away as Smith ducks in whenever caught up to. Smith starts to throw some hard right hands trying to hold his ground and possibly steal the round.

Easily Simpson's, though.

77-75

 

Round 9

Smith throws an uppercut to the body on his way into a clinch. They hold and hit and get barked at by Phil Edwards. Simpson watches Smith flurry hard at him, rallying, and times a right hand drilled hard to the body. Smith again flops against him, pushing along to the ropes. Smith's corner screams for the jab and are humored for an instant before Smith again resorts to running and clinching. Simpson is backed to the ropes but lands a nice series of uppercuts, most sliding against Smith's chest but just clipping his chin. They keep fighting leaned up against the ropes and Smith goes through them! Simpson gallops away before he can be blamed for it as Phil Edwards stares him down coolly. Smith throws a wild leaping left upper-hook out of a crouch and it misses well wide, bouncing off Simpson's shoulder. Cracking pair of rights by Simpson!

87-84 JS

 

Round 10

Good hooks by Smith leaping in from the outside, pairing them to body and head. Good scrapping by both as they lean in and out of clinches, scarcely needing to be broken up. A bit sloppy, with both missing but also feeling crossfire. SMITH lands a beautiful right hand/left hook combo. Simpson pushes down at his arms and lands a chopping overhand right while up against the ropes. They're broken up and Smith decides to stay outside. Simpson lunges with a right and misses. Smith throws up a feinted left hook but is really just trying to Trojan-horse his way into looping the arm behind Simpson's neck to tie up.


Smith comeback round.

96-94 Simpson