Bad Left Hook Live Boxing Results and Commentary: Marco Huck v. Ola Afolabi

this is Povetkin’s first fight with Teddy Atlas at the helm.

Having little luck so far

Ring entrances for Nolan vs. Povetkin have just started

At least the outcome is a foregone conclusion. The two were originally scheduled to fight in Baltimore a month or so ago, which got cancelled when Povetkin was supposed to face Peter, but since that fell through, he’s staying busy against the same opponent.

I really hope they show Teddy Atlas saying stupid truisms in the corner between rounds.

Povetkin doing his usual circle and jab thing. Nolan, who’s pretty much a glorified sparring partner, is playing along. Nolan comes out with the first combination that lands. Povetkin with a nice shot to the body. Povetkin seems oddly tentative right now. You could practically hear a pin drop in the arena. Povetkin with a good combo up top. Nolan able to land a couple of jabs. Povetkin jumps inside and lands a few big shots to the body and head, which seem to shake Nolan a bit.

Povetkin took the round, but it was close for the first 2 minutes, and he’s showing most of the same flaws that were apparent in the Estrada and Chambers fights.

10-9 Povetkin.

Atlas harping about how he needs to jab more and establish a rhythm.

At least Povetkin seems to be taking in-fight instruction well. He’s moving behind a jab now, getting inside, and pounding to Nolan’s body. Sasha is tripping if he thinks he’ll be able to get away with that against Wlad though.

Povetkin keeps getting inside fairly easily, but keeps getting his with jabs and forgetting to move his head. Povetkin with a combo finished off by a big left hook. Sash continuously throwing good 1-2 punches. Nails Nolan with a big uppercut, Nolan is VERY hurt, but Povetkin intentionally takes a step back. It looks like he wants to get rounds, but he probably could have scored the knockout right there had he kept the pressure on.

20-18 Povetkin

Nolan a bit more active to start off this round. Povetkin throwing some lead left hooks and jabs. When he gets inside, the right uppercut is landing at will. Povetkin hits Nolan with a big right that puts Nolan back on wobbly legs, and Povetkin again lays off a bit.

Povetkin now bringing more pressure, but most of his shots are getting blocked. Nolan backed up against the ropes, Povetkin throws a few big shots, and Nolan takes a knee. Povetkin now being relentless, following up, and he knocks down Nolan. Nolan’s corner tries to stop the fight and actually walks into the ring, but the ref ignores him. Nolan sees his man trying to stop the fight, and just stays on the ground to be counted out.

POVETKIN KO3 NOLAN

Maybe next Povetkin can take on a stronger test, such as Jameel McCline or Tony Grano.

Smaller guys, no idea who they are.

Looks somewhat promising, but more like a Euro level guy than a world class fighter

Afolabi just walked in, which the broadcast skipped

So if I disappear for a while, that’s why.

Afolabi was born in Nigeria and lives in the US, but they play the UK anthem. Huck is Serbian, but they play the German anthem.

Judges from Belgium, Spain & the US

Goofing off for the camera. Seems really loose. Maybe a little too loose.

Both guys a bit tentative to start. Ola lunges in for a jab to the body. Ola throwing a lot of jabs, with very little landing. Lots of feints as well. Huck seems afraid to pull the trigger. Afolabi has a very distinct looking reach advantage here. Huck lunges inside but doesn’t land anything, and Ola clinches.

Huck gets inside again and hits Ola with a powerful rabbit punch. He throws about 10 more shots, all of which Ola slips. Ola complains about the punch to the back of the head. Ola back to jabbing on the outside. Huck with a couple of big whiffs, as Ola ducks out of the way, then gets him with another rabbit punch. The crowd goes crazy as Huck throws 6 or 7 punches that all get blocked. Pretty easy Afolabi round to me – the only two punches he landed were both rabbit punches.

Afolabi 10-9

Ola back to trying to control from the outside. Huck blocking all the jabs up top, but a couple jabs to the body get through. Huck throws back a couple of jabs, but they get blocked. Huck comes in and tries to throw a few punches, but they get blocked. Huck backs Afolabi on the ropes and finally lands a solid combo on Ola.

Afolabi throwing jabs, but getting a bit sloppy with leaving his hands down low. Huck going through long stretches where he does absolutely nothing. Huck needs to have found his spot a bit now, and lands a couple of big hooks by faking the jab and throwing to where Ola moves his head. Huck comes forward with a few punches, and Ola turtles up. Huck round based on his two effective spurts of activity.

Huck 10-9
19-19

Ola sticks his glove out to touch, and Huck will have none of it. Huck comes in to throw a combo, Ola jumps out of the way and then does a little shimmy to show off. Huck backs Ola up into the ropes and lands three hard shots to the body. Ola returns with a hook and a couple of uppercuts of his own. The two are holding on, and Joe Cortez warns both fighters.

Ola back to jabbing on the outside. Huck with a huge right hook that connects clean, but he was using his left hand to hold Afolabi in place. The two clinch, and both try hitting the other with rabbit punches. Both fighters land jabs to the body. Huck with a couple of 1-2 combos that get blocked, and Afolabi starts to do the Squirrel in the middle of the ring, the second time he’s showboated this round. Afolabi with a couple of good shots to the body. Close round, but I give it to Huck by a hair.

Huck 10-9
Huck 29-28

Afolabi sets up a big right hook with a double jab, then gets another digging hook to Huck’s body. Ola throws two pig hooks that go right through Huck’s guard. Afolabi stil jabbing, but now it’s almost exclusively to the body, which Huck is leaving open. The two unintentionally clash heads. Both guys come back with ineffective combos to the body. Afolabi tries a bit uppercut that gets blocked. Huck comes forward with a three punch combo that gets blocked right back.

Huck looks like he’s starting to breathe a bit heavy. Stamina has been an issue for him in the past, so keep an eye on this. Huck with a short left hook that connects clean, and Ola does another shimmy to say it didn’t hurt. Huck runs backwards, and Ola literally marches across the ring, military style to chase down Huck, but the round ends. Ola needs to watch it with too much showboating – this is getting worse than Jason Litzau.

Afolabi 10-9
38-38

Ola coming forward, moving behind lots of jabs to the body. Afolabi is moving his feet MUCH better than what I’ve seen in the past. Huck fires a few uppercuts that just flat miss. Afolabi back with some hooks to the body. Huck with another rabbit punch, but it’s Afolabi’s fault that he keeps turning his head in a way that leaves it susceptible to the rabbit punch. Afolabi up against the ropes, and Huck fires a bit straight right that splits his guard.

Afolabi with a right hook to the body, and then another. Huck comes in wild, but Afolabi slips everything, and at the end of it, the two clash heads hard. Both guys seem a bit bussed from it. Afolabi now coming in wild, and Huck seems hurt! Huck holding on for dear life and Cortez can’t split them up! But the bell rings.

Afolabi 10-9
Afolabi 48-47

Afolabi moving forward behind the jab, and forcing Huck to not get into his own rhythm. Huck holding onto Ola, who takes a few shots at his prone body. Huck seems a bit drained. He’s just grabbing on constantly. Huck pushes Ola back into the ropes, and then fires a big straight right that gets mostly blocked. Ola showboats a bit more, and Huck holds out his hands as if to say “why are you doing this?”

Ola backs Huck into the ropes and lands a few light shots to the body. Huck with some zip on his punches now, but he’s still having trouble measuring out Afolabi. Afolabi’s just throwing arm punches right now though. Both guys seem like they’re taking a break. Huck forward with a big straight right to the body.

Huck 10-9
57-57

Both guys trying to jab in the middle of the ring, and for the first time all night, Huck’s jab seems a bit more effective. Ola has gotten away from the feinting that was so effective for him early in the fight. Ola with a literal slap to Huck’s chounder, and then a few jabs that don’t do too much. Huck literally hasn’t done anything the first minute of this round, other than land one hard jab.

Afolabi landing some jabs. Huck tries to get inside, but Ola hits him with a right hook on the way in. Huck with what looked like a big shot, but Ola poses to show that it didn’t hurt him. Huck seems to be regaining his breath a bit, but he’s really done next to nothing. Ola keeping busy, but nothing with real pop.

Tough round to score. Ola threw about 60 more punches than Huck, but nothing landed with too much consequence. Huck only threw about 20 punches that round, but three of them landed hard. Going with Huck.

Huck 10-9
Huck 67-66

Afolabi back to jabbing from the outside. Huck warned for using his forearm against Ola’s throat. Ola’s punches seem to have a bit more pop on them again. Huck comes forward with three big shots that all miss, but the crowd goes crazy. Ola with a huge short hook that makes the crowd shut up. Afolabi with another big punch, and Huck is on the run. Huck with another rabbit punch, and while Afolabi is complaining to the ref, Huck hits him with an uppercut. Afolabi with a thudding shot to the body. Afolabi gets a bit sloppy, and Huck lands a hard jab.

The two butt heads that hurt Ola visibly, and again he gets hit while complaining to Cortez. Huck with a couple of big shots that Afolabi can’t get out of the way of. Huck’s best round of the night.

Huck 10-9
Huck 77-75

Afolabi comes out with a couple of wild hooks to start. Huck moves forward behind a bulldozer combo, but nothing really lands. Huck with a few more combos, and Afolabi spins him around. Huck with another big rabbit punch, which has to be his 7th or 8th of the night, but Cortez has yet to warn him for it. Afolabi seems to be running out of steam again.

The two are both coming forward, but they end up in clinches a few times in a row. The two trade on the inside, and then Afolabi starts backing up Huck again. Time out to cut the fighters’ tape, which has come loose for both men. Ola seems invigorated by the stoppage, but he’s not really doing much besides head faking and jabbing. Huck swarms in, and while Afolabi avoids most of it, the German crowd is just eating it up.

Huck 10-9
Huck 87-84

Ola moving forward. On the advice of his corner, he’s starting to throw lead right hands, and one of them connects. Huck backs Afolabi into the ropes again, throws a flurry, but nothing lands. Afolabi backs up Huck to the opposite side of the ring, and lands a couple of solid body shots. Afolabi with a huge home run shot that misses by about a foot. Afolabi putting on lots of pressure, but Huck is just holding on every time he gets inside. Huck throws two more punches that miss badly, and the crowd goes nuts.

Ola goes back to the style I’m more sued to seeing from him, keeping his feet kind of flat and trying to slip shots by just moving his upper body a lot. Huck comes forward and holds, and Afolabi hits him with a big shot coming off the break. The crowd gets restless and starts to jeer and whistle.

Afolabi 10-9
Huck 96-94

Macklin is cruising after dropping Pintos early with a body shot and then a clubbing right to the head in seperate rounds. He was ripping the body repeatedly. He’s cruising a bit now – maybe getting some rounds in in prep for Pirog.

Afolabi with a jab that connects well. Huck pushes him back and lands a lead right. Huck stuck in the corner, and Afolabi is teeing off on him with big shots. Huck turns him around, puches him off, and comes forward with a flurry that mostly gets blocked. Huck leans on Afolabi, and he’s just punching in spurts now. Huck comes forward with a nice combo and lands the first two shots of it well. Both guys shoeshine to the body a bit, but Huck’s punches have a bit more on them. The crowd is back in it.

Huck clinches, runs Afolabi back to the ropes, then pushes him off and lands a big right hand, and clinches back. Huck comes forward with a big combo that Afolabi slips quite a bit of, but he gets hit by a few shots, and fires back some shots of his own to the body.

Huck 10-9
Huck 106-103

Afolabi coming forward, but doesn’t seem to have a sense of extreme urgency. He rips a few to the body, and Huck is back to holding and backtracking without punching. For the second time this fight, Huck doesn’t throw a punch for the first minute of the round. Huck comes in and clinches.

Afolabi coming forward and rips a few big shots to Huck’s body. Huck finally decides to throw a couple of punches after he pushes Afolabi back into the ropes. Both guys showshine to the body. Huck finally comes forward aggressively and throws some punches, but Ola slips all of them. Huck with Afolabi against the ropes, and he’s trying to steal the round. I think Afolabi still took the round. The fighters give each other a hug as the fight ends.

Afolabi 10-9
Huck 115-113

And I wouldn’t be surprised if the scores are wider than I had it. Best case scenario for Afolabi here is a draw, IMO.

They’ve been replaying Huck’s combos where the crowd goes nuts, and he’s barely cleanly landed anything. But when he does, it’s generally been harder than what Ola has landed.

115-113
115-113
116-112

UNANIMOUS DECISION FOR MARCO HUCK