Tony Harrison vs. Ishé Oluwa Kamau Ali Smith/Andrew Omotunde Tabiti vs. Lateef Olalalekin Kayode RBR

Round 1

Harrison is popping the long jab into the face of Smith, able to neatly part the curvature of the knuckle pads and bop him on the nose. Smith is hitting the brakes, darting to either side, using every trick he can to get inside without just blundering straight in via the front door and eat jabs in abundance. Smith whacking the body with low slicing hooks, many straying below the belt line and landing on the hip. Smith down, slip. Combo from Smith blocked.

10-9 Harrison

 

Both men came in over the super welterweight limit by 1½lbs, but they are both ranked at 154lb. Smith is the WBC #14 and Harrison is #10 (as well as the IBF #11).

 

Round 2

Harrison is jabbing very nicely and keeping away from Smith's attempts to initiate a melee up close by diving in and carpet-bombing the body. Smith occasionally getting through with a right hand on the waistband, mostly either missing or skidding off Harrison's sides as he turns, adjusts his footing, and counters with straights. Harrison clinches to stem the approach of Smith and Tony Weeks breaks them. Lead right hand by Harrison, slipped as Smith jerks his head back and tries a pull-counter, which Harrison then slips & counters in turn with a jab.

10-9 Harrison

20-18 Harrison

 

Come on Shay, let's see a plan B...

 

Round 3

Harrison is very intelligently using the full ring, cautiously unfurling jabs between the gloves and tagging Smith on the way in, never letting him close the distance. Harrison lulling Smith, jabbing lightly while backpedaling, then suddenly plants his feet and NAILS him with a short right cross on the step around! Smith down to a knee!! Smith beats Weeks' count easily but looks a tad shaken. He still marches forward, but is now double-jabbing to get inside and keeping his forearms pinned together protectively over his face, elbows nearly up to his nips. Smith takes a pair of swings, wide hooking combo downstairs, clapping Harrison on the floating rib and backing him up. Harrison keeps the pace settled to where he wants it, very steady & methodical, jabbing Smith from range.

10-8 Harrison

30-26 Harrison

 

Slow motion replay from a different camera angle shows that Smith technically didn't touch either his glove or knee onto the canvas, but the bottom line is the ref in the moment ruled it a KD so it gets scored as one, 10-8.

 

Round 4

Harrison is coming forward now, leading more with the jab, getting increasingly aggressive, keeping the right hand poised to drop if Smith makes a mistake and leaves an opening. Smith is fluttering the jab up top and returning it to its starting point, his own right cradled by his jaw and ready to block. Right uppercut downstairs by Smith. Harrison walks through it and starts chopping at the head of the ducking Smith with heavy right hands. Smith might've been a little buzzed there as he ducked against the ropes. Harrison is slipping the jab, snapping pivots at the corners, never letting the ring-ropes touch his own back when Smith is taking his turn leading.

10-9 Harrison

40-35 Harrison

 

Either a) my boy Shay is finally losing his mojo, b) Harrison v.2.0 is actually quite a legitimate 154lb talent, or c) a little of both.

 

Austin Trout has it 38-37 Harrison, giving Smith both of the first two (but earmarking them both as "very close")

 

Round 5

Harrison is fishing with the jab, leaving it suspended in Smith's field of vision, waiting for Smith to chomp at the bit and come bursting off his partially bent knees with flurries, like a cornered animal, then quickly turning him and threading his right hand into the jaw. Smith is nearly caught with a decapitating left hook in an exchange while being pushed into a corner. Smith feints a jab, then feint-hooks off it, then feints another jab, then whips in a REAL left hook that catches & stuns Harrison. Nice work there by Smith, but not enough to steal the frame, which settles into a malaise of posing in the last half-minute.

10-9 Harrison

50-44 Harrison

 

Looking more and more like you might taste some cheddar.

 

Round 6

Harrison is keeping his wrists crossed over his chin, elbows forming a flange of shields for his chest and to screen out any potential uppercuts, willingly allowing Smith to have everything he wants in terms of hooks downstairs. Smith obliges, turning over big hooking combos into the skinny torso until tiring out, leaning in & tying up or stepping outside to reset. Harrison is keeping his offense minimal this round, taking a breather. Harrison is flicking a jab off the hip, sometimes planting his feet and sticking it firm into the chin. Smith is hurt by a counter right while chasing Harrison into a corner with a frantic body combo and getting spun against it himself. BIG SALVO BY HARRISON! Chops, straights, hooks, everything in the arsenal being emptied on Smith, who is hurt but wriggling along the ropes and rolling with everything he can!

10-9 Harrison

60-53 Harrison