Feeling-out to start, as usual, and the first real shot comes from Ngoudjo sticking in a stiff jab, and then following up with a power flurry that is mostly avoided by M’baye.

Ngoudjo wants to fight inside, but M’baye is largely trying to keep distance and make him work. It’s Ngoudjo that’s working, though. M’baye working what Teddy calls “half a jab,” and criticizes Ngoudjo for not taking advantage and trying to time the right hand over the top.

First round is rather uneventful, and I’ll favor Ngoudjo for trying to make a fight of it a few times, although the latter part of the round was just M’baye pawing.

Ngoudjo 10-9

There is about 1:15 left in this round. I might have foolishly expected more out of this. Both guys are really tentative and not pressing action at all. Ngoudjo is doing nothing, and M’baye is just pawing and occasionally landing a jab. The last four fights of Ngoudjo’s career make him confusing.

Well, there we go, Ngoudjo starts beating the living hell out of M’baye with a flurry that staggers him toward the ropes, then he just keeps unloading in close and hurts him again in the middle of the ring. He took that round over in the final minute.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 20-18

Third round again features Ngoudjo as the man looking to make the fight, with M’baye doing very, very little offensively and trying to win rounds entirely by making Ngoudjo miss, which is stupid and something he’s failing at accomplishing.

Ngoudjo is willing to work the body, M’baye isn’t. Ngoudjo is coming inside, M’baye isn’t controlling distance or making much of a go at it, either.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 30-27

One big shot from M’baye messes up Ngoudjo’s eye, nearly closing it. This round is seeing M’baye counter punching and working from distance a little bit better, landing some decent stuff, and now he’s also clinching up with Ngoudjo when Herman comes bulling in. Much better looking round for M’baye with a minute left.

Couple of body shots from Ngoudjo, but the attack is thwarted there. Ngoudjo tries to steal the round with some work near the bell. His left eye is swollen as hell.

M’baye 10-9
Ngoudjo 39-37

Teddy, in his love affair with the 10-10 round, scored the first round 10-10.

This round is looking more like the earlier rounds, but M’baye is still working better than he was in those earlier rounds. Teddy is wondering if Ngoudjo is tired since he’s gone the distance in nine straight fights.

Tough round to score.

M’baye 10-9
Ngoudjo 48-47

Hard right to the side of the head for Ngoudjo, but M’baye absorbs it well. There’s the same right hand, landing again, right over the tight shoulder of M’baye. Long jab from M’baye. Three-punch flurry, don’t think any of it landed for Ngoudjo.

Ngoudjo ducks and dodges some more long jab attempts from M’baye. Ngoudjo is looking this round more like he did against Malignaggi, picking nad pecking, moving well, and boxing.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 58-56

Now they’re talking seriously about Floyd Mayweather and his 18th retirement.

Distant 1-2 from M’baye looks nice, but Ngoudjo backs up a step and comes back in at him. M’baye looks a little bit lost after his two-round comeback in the 4th and 5th rounds. Ngoudjo is outworking him, and if you combine that with hometown advantage, I think he’s clearly winning the fight.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 68-65

Ngoudjo has landed 54 body shots so far. M’baye: 15.

Ngoudjo’s little inside flurries look good enough to be winning the rounds on judges’ scorecards, because M’baye has done next-to-nothing to establish anything offensively. He’s not a bad fighter, but he’s not landing the jab all that well, there’s nothing on it when it does get home, and he’s got just the one big eye-closer shot to his credit, really. He’s boxing OK, but that’s not enough to win this fight, and it shouldn’t be.

This fight has become rather one-sided the last couple of rounds. Ngoudjo is never going to be on a P4P list, but he’s a solid fighter.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 78-74

Halfway into the round, another one that Ngoudjo is winning, M’baye does land a long right. Almost everything he’s landed has been long. He’s been occasionally willing to trade inside and hasn’t been incompetent in there, M’baye is not an inside fighter like Ngoudjo is.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 88-83

I think M’baye realizes he needs something special, because he looks more offensive-minded here to start the 10th.

Much better round for M’baye. I realize my description is lacking - although who gives a shit - but I’m talking Mayweather with a bunch of people right now.

M’baye 10-9
Ngoudjo 97-93

M’baye is cutting Ngoudjo off as he charges in, trying to counter, but Ngoudjo is still getting work done once he’s in there, a lot of it to the body. Neither guy is fighting a whole lot at this point, we’re winding up with tie-ups. There’s a quick combo from Ngoudjo.

Nice uppercuts inside from Ngoudjo with about 30 seconds left in the round. 1-2 combo from M’baye as he comes back in. There’s another quick combination from Ngoudjo, and we head to the 12th round.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 107-102

I think Teddy has it 106-104 for Ngoudjo.

Lead left from southpaw stance by M’baye, and moments later it’s held up for some loose tape on M’baye’s glove. Right back to action at time in. Combo from Ngoudjo, looked like a five-punch swing for him. Final minute of the fight.

Slappy lefts from M’baye, and Ngoudjo keeps punching in bunches, winning the final round and this fight.

Ngoudjo 10-9
Ngoudjo 117-111

117-111
116-112
115-113

HERMAN NGOUDJO VIA UNANIMOUS DECISION

M’baye seems to disagree. I think after he watches the fight he’ll feel differently.