Zamig Atakishiyev vs. Saúl Becerra Gil & Daulet Talakovich Daukenov vs. Mahsud Jumaev RBR

Balandin is way too basic. Very one & done in his attacks, loading up on KO shots and getting scouted and countered to death. He might get stopped here.

20-18 Santana

 

Boom, knockdown half a minute into round three. Santana barely even looks to have left first gear, just having fun in there like this was a light spar but dominating Balandin nonetheless. Teeing off now, Balandin's face reddened as he sits on the ropes and gets tooled. Balandin summons up a vestige of chutzpah and starts to press inside behind a jab & uppercut combo, but Santana is able to slip or picks off everything.

10-8 Santana

30-26 Santana

 

Well that's a ringing endorsement, because the guy he fought, Denis Khamatov, turned in a nice performance earlier, taming an unbeaten KO artist from Uzbekistan, probably among the better ones today.

 

Round 4

Santana just walking in undeterred, zinging Balandin on the left eye with straight rights. Santana carrying his arms low, dangling by his knees, inviting Balandin to strike first. Santana going into a reverse diagonal jog to spiral around Balandin, toying with him as he feints a jab off the hip. Balandin has nothing to offer, bereft of ideas to solve the Cuban puzzle.

10-9 Santana

40-35 Santana

 

And now after seeing Ravshan Ergashev, it all makes sense. Balandin fought on close terms and lost a SD to an inferior fighter than Santana did (I'd pick Khamatov over Ergashev)

 

Yeah this is positively brutal.

 

Round 5

Santana is continuing to harry Balandin with quick shots delivered from the waist, shelling up when Balandin gets brave and starts to power-flurry messily. HUGE right uppercut flush on the bottom of the chin by Santana, has Balandin staggering backwards and spitting out his gum shield as he tumbles. He's up but the ref soon waves it off as Santana opens up on him.

TKO5!!

 

I can't remember the last time I'd watched a dozen boxing matches before lunchtime.

 

The next RCC Promotions card will also be in Yekaterinburg (although probably in a larger venue) on May 5th, with Dmitry Mikhaylenko in the main event taking on 9-2-2 (4) countryman Alexander Sharonov in the hopes of rebounding from an 0-2 skid. Mark "Canelo" Urvanov will be co-featured, also beginning a comeback after losing in February against Tadzhik southpaw Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov. His opponent is 12-3 (6) Feruzbek Yuldashev, who fought Yaqubov last year. It was competitive but Yuldashev suffered an injury (sprained right shoulder, it appeared) forcing him to retire at the halfway mark.

 

At least you got to see Khamatov & Santana. The only real prospect you missed out seeing was Blinov, and I'm sure you'll have more opportunities in the future.

Atakishiyev didn't look all that impressive tbh; Farah was just obese and reacted horribly to every body shot that made even slight contact with him.