Bad Left Hook Live Boxing Results and Commentary: Anthony Small v. Thomas McDonagh

And yes, we’ll have coverage of that entire show.

http://www.theboxingbulletin.com/2009/11/26/1175235/british-scene-anthony-small-vs

Apparently, McDonagh is the hotstepper.

Small coming out to some “Blue Eyes Meets Bed Stuy” which is cool. And riding a scooter.

I bet Anthony Small could get a crowd to artificially boo him in his own living room.

“Sugar Ray Clay Jones Jr.” is a ridiculous nickname.

Nah, I’d say he’s showing he is fazed.

Small is giving up a good bit of height, and ducking low to make himself even shorter. Small springing in with a flicking jab, then trying to come up fast, and if he came in too far, he clinches. He’s a genuine rhythm disruptor. McDonagh staying at distance, looking to counter the incoming Small. Small flies in with a wide right hand that misses. McDonagh gets a short right in close. McDonagh with two rights upstairs on the same move. Small has mostly landed some jabs to the body and postured other than that.

Really nothing of significance lands this round, but it’s a Small round. He controlled the action, and McDonagh just waited on him.

Small 10-9

McDonagh catches him with a right about a minute into the round. Small is still tinkering around. They compare Small’s performance thus far to what David Haye did against Valuev, if that sounds exciting. McDonagh is bullying him a little bit when they get close and even when they tie up. I give McDonagh the round close. This is reminding me a lot of the last time we saw Small, in July against Matthew Hall.

McDonagh 10-9
19-19

Small starts the round almost literally dancing. McDonagh charges him, gets him on the ropes, and after the ref breaks, Small lays there posing again. McDonagh just fires on him again, and Small again clinches up. Repeat the posturing. Small tries a Roy Jones right at about half speed. McDonagh landing clean shots. Small is smiling and dancing. It’s cute and all, but McDonagh is actually hitting him.

Small doing nothing this round except that Jones imitation. McDonagh with a right. Man, if he had any power…

Easy round to score.

McDonagh 10-9
McDonagh 29-28

In a completely hilarious moment — and I mean I started laughing huge — Small runs around the ring dancing some more, then trips over his own feet and kicks the ring bell. Not possible to have looked more like an ass there.

McDonagh again ripping away at Small as Small lays on the ropes. Small now back to his Jones bit. I realize he might be baiting McDonagh, but Small is fighting like shit. This isn’t a “show,” which is what he defends his antics as beign — in fact, it’s anything but. He’s just out there acting. He’s not fighting.

Small goes southpaw. He still can’t really land anything. He’s not boxing. He’s had no jab. He’s done the same moves eight to ten times in a row over and over. McDonagh can read anything he’s doing so far. And really he’s done nothing. The only thing he’s done in two rounds is kick the bell.

McDonagh 10-9
McDonagh 39-37

Anthony Small is 8/75 so far. McDonagh is 16/73. This has not been exciting, but a bit interesting.

Two minutes of Small trying a little harder, but not landing any more than previous. McDonagh isn’t being GIVEN scoring chances this round at least. McDonagh with a jab, then Small gets away. Small with a left. This has turned out to be rather shit.

McDonagh 10-9
McDonagh 49-46

This might be 3-2 McDonagh or even 3-2 Small for you, but I’m just sorely unimpressed by Small tonight.

Small has missed more horrific looking right hands in this fight than you usually see on an entire card. I mean McDonagh is avoiding that thing without a second thought. Just brutal. Slow, long, wild, ugly, and not even close.

McDonagh with a couple body shots on the ropes. And back to the clinch game, which is getting more and more a central focus of the fight. I don’t really care how this turns out, Small’s standing is taking a solid hit with this performance. He’s done more talking than he’s landed punches. This has been an awful performance.

“Small is putting on an act, but not putting on a performance.”

That’s exactly right.

McDonagh 10-9
McDonagh 59-55

Really a nothing round, couple of shots on the ropes won it for McDonagh on my card.

Jim Watt has it 59-56 for McDonagh, so I’m not as crazy as I feared I may seem. Or else Jim Watt and I are both crazy.

Small coming forward and flailing his arms around. He’s landed 10 punches in six rounds. 10!

Small is starting to throw a little more, but he’s missing everything, and missing badly. He’s not setting anything up and it seems like McDonagh just sees everything he’s got coming. McDonagh with a NICE right hand as Small throws his hands a bunch and lands nothing. That single punch probably won this round.

McDonagh 10-9
McDonagh 69-64

I bet Anthony Small puts on quite a show with mitts and bags.

There’s really nothing more to talk about with this fight. Small might as well have gift-wrapped the belts for McDonagh, who isn’t exactly looking like a world-beater himself. Small gets in a couple of shots with just under a minute left to “take control” of the round. McDonagh sticks his tongue out near the end of the round. Coincidentally, he lost this round.

Small 10-9
McDonagh 78-74

Right hand by Small, and McDonagh loses his balance! McDonagh has been known to gas out. If he gasses out here, there’s a real conditioning problem. This has been about as easy as a title fight gets in terms of testing conditioning.

But after that, McDonagh gets his balance back, and he’s retreating pretty clearly. Small is pressing the action now, with McDonagh uncomfortable. The right hands are starting to land. He got clipped there.

As an aside, I’d be thrilled if we could stop this “positive / negative” crap that has so gripped everyone lately. It’s the new “check hook.”

Small 10-9
McDonagh 87-84

Watt has it 88-86. He’s got three even rounds. Be a man, Jim. Pick.

If this were a hockey fight, McDonagh would be turtling. Small is looking for knockout shots. McDonagh almost looks scared in there. He’s getting clipped with shots and is reacting like he has no clue what to do with Small.

McDonagh has completely stopped fighting. Small keeps getting right on him, then shimmying up and down his body and coming away with a wild shot, generally still missing badly.

This is an awful fight. The referee has to talk to them. McDonagh seems content to do nothing but hold.

Small 10-9
McDonagh 96-94

McDonagh’s corner’s advice: “Stay close and he can’t touch ya!”

Small’s: “Be rough with him. Don’t pose. Don’t wait.”

Small’s corner 10-6

McDonagh is doing nothing. He’s given up on that fighting nonsense, though you can argue he only did any of it earlier because Small made it so easy for him. Small starting to get to him pretty clearly. If we see a stoppage I’m not going to be surprised. McDonagh is on shaky legs.

McDonagh actually lands a right hand near the end of the round, and starts showing some actual effort again. Still, another Small round.

Small 10-9
McDonagh 105-104

McDonagh’s corner thinks they’re losing. They’re probably right — there were a couple rounds I gave to McDonagh that might well have gone to Small, and the rounds Small has won have all been fairly clear.

McDonagh has come out to fight, but when they both decide to throw, it’s obvious who has the speed and power advantage. It’s not even close. McDonagh with a flurry. McDonagh and Small get tied up, and Small trips down. About half the round left to go.

McDonagh with two clear rabbit punches, but probably Small’s fault anyway. Small doesn’t complain or anything. McDonagh holding a lot in the second half.

Jim Watt: “No quality. No class.”

Small 10-9
114-114

I couldn’t feel better about scoring the draw. I truly believe neither of them deserve a win.

39 punches landed for each man. 78 punches in the entire fight. 12% for Small, 14% for McDonagh. Terrible, terrible fight.

115-114
116-113
115-114

ANTHONY SMALL by unanimous decision
Still British/Commonealth Jr. Middleweight Titlist