Zolani Tete vs. Paul Butler RBR

Round 3

Hard triple jab up top by Smith. Talarek is pinning both thumbs to his cheeks, just focusing on screening out as many jabs as he can as Smith refuses to let up. Body jabs by Smith, bringing up quick hooks turned over up top off the low jab in a nice display of speed & coordination. Body shots by Smith as Talarek stubbornly keeps his guard up and tilts away to reduce his cranium's targeting appeal. Slow but forceful jabs by Talarek intended to pike Smith off more than score or do any damage.

10-9 Smith

30-27 Smith

 

This isn't a whirlwind affair, that's for sure.

 

Round 4

Talarek is starting to find his distance, lobbing the left jab at Smith and scoring, making full use of his reach and timing his shots well as Smith continues on a fairly predictable carousel. Smith, however, is starting to rip up the body more, with left hooks and looping rights causing Talarek major discomfort, wincing and backing up. Talarek starts trying right hands lashing down atop Smith's head while Smith cuts his way in with stiff double jabs.

10-9 Smith

40-36 Smith

 

Round 5

Talarek is taking a pounding around the ribcage now, Smith laying in with both hands. Talarek is catching Smith with some jabs on the face on the way in, threaded in between his gloves, but Smith is ducking in and working hard left hooks downstairs, thudding loudly and making Talarek skitter away in obvious distress. Talarek folds his arms together and leans in, trading uppercuts at point blank with Smith. Big looping right up top by Smith, nearly toppling his opponent. Talarek recovers his balance, head down by his thigh, and swerves free. More body shots in pursuit by Smith, looking for the finish. Desperate uppercuts by Talarek.

10-9 Smith

50-45 Smith

 

We may get a stoppage, given how the 5th unfolded. :think

That would be a nice statement for Smith, who could use a spike in his KO ratio (currently 42%) and considering Talarek has never been taken out.

 

Round 6

Talarek is backing away, throwing a breadcrumb trail of jabs as he roams from corner to corner and then bursts out with uppercuts. Smith is scoring left hooks and looping rights around the gloves, headhunting on the frontfoot, then positioning his face down by Talarek's groin and slamming the body with can-openers with both hands. Talarek drops his left arm by his side, conserving energy as he shuffles backwards, popping long defensive left jabs.

10-9 Smith

60-54 Smith

 

The 6th was much quieter.

 

Round 7

Talarek is forced into submission from the bell as Smith brings in swooping undercutting blows on the flanks and sticks jabs up into his nose. Talarek leans back and steps to his left. LONG right cross into the kisser behind a set-up light jab on the gloves by Smith, making Talarek half-involuntarily lean very far over. Smith is ducking in, earmuffs on, letting Talarek dust the back of his skull with jabs and extremely short chopping rights thrown with almost no upper arm leverage, everything generated from past the elbow. Smith wrestles Talarek onto the ropes and lands an overhand right below the ear. Talarek jabs while stepping free to his left out to center ring. Body shots by Smith. Double jab on the face by Smith, penetrating Talarek's guard. BIG slapping right hand behind a jab by Smith, knocking Talarek's gloves down. Clinch. Talarek holding on, stalling. Jab-feint on the body by Talarek, shifting weight between his feet, on his toes.

10-9 Smith

70-63 Smith

 

Yeah. I don't see any one shot putting him down at this point or giving the ref a reason to intervene, but his own corner ought to start thinking about his well-being at this point. It wouldn't be as though pulling the plug now would lessen Talarek's value to promoters as someone to fly in to make prospects like Smith look good. His gutsy performance so far has already probably assured him future dates.

 

Round 8

Talarek is bleeding from various points on his face now, particularly by the left eye. Talarek is throwing more punches now, an increased sense of urgency as red streaks through his line of sight. Hooks and rights on the backfoot - Smith marching on through it all, scoring on the body and jabbing high to worsen the wound. The ref intervenes and has the ringside physician have a look @ Talarek. No more.

TKO8!

 

Liam "Beefy" Smith beefs up his KO rate to a robust 45%. :!:


Talarek is halted for the first time in his 23rd pro bout.

 

Yeah, the logic there I think is "look at how much he was shipping already without his vision impaired..."