Yvan Mendy vs. Jesús Arévalo & Johann Duhaupas vs. Newfel Ouatah RBR

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Just now, on the undercard, Colombian-Canadian heavyweight Óscar "Kaboom" Rivas captured some minor bauble (not even important enough to be listed on BoxRec, apparently) outpointing 8-3 Gabriel Enguema in a 10-rounder. He is reported to have not looked so hot in the process.

This may be a sign that some of the worst fears some of us have been nursing, about Rivas frittering away his prime, may be coming to pass.

 

Johann Duhaupas vs. Newfel Ouatah , 12 rounds @ heavyweight

 

This is for the vacant WBA International title.

 

Round 1

Ouatah is boxing circles around the very fat Duhaupas, jabbing him in the face comfortably at long range. Double to quadruple jabs on each lateral step by Ouatah. Duhaupas just plods in, hurls a few straight punches laboriously and slowly as though underwater, and has to reset as Ouatah keeps jetting around him.

10-9 Ouatah

 

Round 2

Duhaupas is marching straight into Ouatah, putting his palms against his own face when Ouatah tosses a warning flurry, elbows sticking out a few inches past his gut, on which Ouatah then performs a light drum-roll. Nothing landing for Duhaupas except rabbit punches when Ouatah is ducking to spring-load a diagonal upward burst of speed to either side to clear the pocket. Duhaupas trying his best to force exchanges but getting countered with light jabs and turned easily like a spit-roast in the middle of the ring. Duhaupas persistently tanking in, starting to slap a few body shots in.

10-9 Ouatah, closer

20-18 Ouatah

 

Round 3

Duhaupas is still only tickling Ouatah's tummy with his sloppy body shots bowled in underhand in super-slow motion, and landing the occasional grazing rabbit punch when Ouatah pulls his duck-and-scurry evasive move sideways. Ouatah just keeps the long, multiplied-up jab in the face of Duhaupas like the needle of a stitching machine. Ouatah keeping up his footwork and high volume of jabs so far, but maybe tiring a little. Some clinches now.

10-9 Ouatah, close agian

30-27 Ouatah

 

Round 4

Duhaupas is roughing Ouatah up a bit more now, managing to stay closer. More body shots landing for Duhaupas, more cleanly and with a little more oomph. Highest percentage of connects still is Ouatah's with the jab but he is copping heavy damage now as Duhaupas clubs him at short range, not quite legal blows, still mostly on the rear of the skull or behind the dome's tip, but having a visible effect. Ouatah doing more holding than boxing now.

10-9 Duhaupas

39-37 Ouatah

 

Round 5

Duhaupas' slow & steady approach in this fight is starting to pay dividends. The hunter is now following its prey into the heart of his lair, cutting off his escape route with a full-bore run (such as he can muster, really more of a lumbering jog) pitched onto his front-feet and slamming into Ouatah by the ropes, pummeling his sides with low paddling combos and even starting to find a home for some lead straight rights on the face. Ouatah is acting tough, smirking when Duhaupas lands the straight right but is clearly hurt. A low blow hurts even more, but Duhaupas gives a nod of apology. The ref asks if Ouatah is okay and yeah, he's fine. Fin.

10-9 Duhaupas

48-47 Ouatah

 

Round 6

Duhaupas is bearing down on his quarry now, shooting the right whenever Ouatah jabs and just smashing his fist out of the sky like a kamikaze pilot. Ouatah is doing his best to keep a little spring in his step, bouncing in and out to score a quick jab on the bridge of the nose and then retreating. Ouatah even feeling bold enough despite the recent momentum shift to showboat (from a safe distance), putting both hands behind his back. The bravado isn't fooling anyone, though - Ouatah is fatigued, and Duhaupas knows it, and this now has the feel of an impending big KO unless the svelter Frenchman is VERY careful from here out.

10-9 Duhaupas

57-57