Last night at the home of the Brooklyn Nets Andrade dominates Rose for a 7th round stoppage, while Algieri stuns feared Provodnikov. Peter Wells brings you the full report
By Peter Wells:
Demetrius Andrade needed a performance and he delivered as he outclassed Britain’s Brian Rose over 7 rounds to retain his WBO Light Middleweight title in his maiden defence.
Andrade proved to be on another level to Rose who had quickly, clearly too quickly, ascended up the rankings from English champion to world title challenger.
Two knockdowns and several impressive bursts from the fast fists of Andrade were too much for Rose who lost every round before his corner waved the towel to save their man from further punishment.
It was a disastrous start for Rose who hit the canvas early in the opener from a straight left cross. Andrade was in utter control as Rose failed to let his hands go, aware of the early speed from Andrade. From the southpaw stance Andrade was snapping a sharp jab out and upped the ante after he floored Rose.
Andrade’s confidence of becoming world champion last time out was elevated to a new level in the 2nd as he came out with a swagger, snapping the head back of Rose with two left hands. There was a real snap to Andrade’s work in the early going.
To open the 3rd it was a short right hand that dropped Rose, a cracking shot that Andrade forced Rose to walk on to, and he landed with nasty precision. Andrade criticised for his style being “too safe” was looking to put it on Rose who was proving to not be on the champions’ level. Rose pushed forward bravely but Andrade was in the zone and there was no budging him.
After a quiet 4th, Andrade came out with a blistering combination to open the 5th session. Rose had tightened his defence as Andrade was forced to search for new points of entry, namely the body.
Andrade backed Rose up to begin the 6th, regaining the centre ring that he had lost in the previous round. Andrade opened up again to end the stanza, bloodying Rose on the bridge of the nose.
A sickening uppercut made its way through as Rose was in trouble again but once more the Blackpool warrior sucked it up, but ultimately he was too brave for his own good and Bobby Rimmer waved the towel forcing the referee to intervene midway through round 7.
Andrade will now look to step in with the other top 154lb fighters after he improved to 21-0(14), while Rose will need to go back to the drawing board after the 2nd defeat of his 25-2-1(7) career.
In the main event, Chris Algieri pulled off a huge shock to dethrone WBO Light Welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov via spilt decision.
The feared Russian floored Algieri twice in the opening round but Algieri continued to fight perfectly to the gameplan while Provodnikov didn’t land with anywhere near enough to worry Algieri thereafter.
Algieri was understandably a huge underdog going into the fight but proved the boxing world wrong with a terrific performance that included great boxing and the heart of a warrior after suffering a nasty eye injury very early on.
Algieri started behind a sharp jab but it was quickly apparent that he did not have the power in those punches to keep the marauding Provodnikov off of him. A left hook dropped Algieri heavily which prompted a nasty mouse under his right eye. Algieri took a knee later in the first but ended the round well.
Algieri kept that momentum he picked up late in the 1st in the 2nd as he boxed nicely, putting together solid combinations rather than nervous jabs. A left hook wobbled Algieri again with a minute left in the 2nd but it did not detract him from putting his punches together before moving. A solid jab snapped the head back of Ruslan.
The swelling under Algieri’s right eye was only worsened with every solid left hook that landed in between his own impressive bursts that were keeping Provodnikov busy enough. Algieri fired in a right cross that projected another good round for the New Yorker.
Provodnikov’s urgency upped in the 5th but it was still Algieri who was first to the punch as he took the lead in the fight despite the early 10-7 round. Another left hook forced a stumble from Algieri just prior to the bell.
Provodnikov landed the same left hook early in the 6th, a shot that Algieri could no longer see coming. Algieri’s work rate dipped slightly and Ruslan improved his own output.
Following that bruising 6th, Algieri regained his mojo in the 7th as he slipped Provodnikov’s slow assaults while whipping in shots with real swagger.
Provodnikov continued to be aggressive but it was not the usual effective aggression that fans have become used to seeing from the champion.
The tempo dropped from Algieri in the 9th as Provodnikov, while still not landing with high regularity, didn’t have as much to do defensively.
With an urgent message from his corner Provodnikov came out with a four punch combination to open the 11th. But Algieri quickly weathered the breeze before finding his range again.
The final 2 rounds saw a lot of missed punches from both boxers as they each failed to find a rhythm to tip a close fight in their favour.
The official scorecards read 117-109 (Provodnikov) and 114-112 twice for Algieri who deserves immense credit for a terrific performance, recovering from a horrific eye injury and two disheartening knockdowns in the opening round.
I scored the bout 114-113 to Algieri who thoroughly merited the split decision victory. The new WBO Light Welterweight champion remained unbeaten at 20-0(8) while Provodnikov, who’s potential super fights with Pacquiao and Garcia etc. took a huge blow, dropped to 23-3(16).
Elsewhere the always entertaining Sean Monaghan 22-0(14) took a comfortable unanimous decision win over Elvir Muriqi 40-7(24).
Monaghan started brightly but after stinging Muriqi multiple times in the opening 3 rounds he never came close to stopping his opponent after that.
Monaghan suffered three nasty cuts over both eyes which slightly marred a 99-90 (twice) and 98-91 points win for the Irish-American.
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