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Tonight at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Jessie Magdaleno will defend his WBO super bantamweight title against Isaac Dogboe in the main event of a Top Rank card.
Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KO) and Dogboe (18-0, 12 KO) are both unbeaten, and have talked a pretty good game coming into this fight. Magdaleno lifted the belt from Nonito Donaire in November 2016, and has defended once. Dogboe last fought in January, stopping Cesar Juarez. This will be the Ghanaian Dogboe’s first fight in the United States since 2015.
In the co-feature, super middleweight contenders Jesse Hart (23-1, 19 KO) and Demond Nicholson (18-2-1, 17 KO) meet in a matchup of big punchers. Hart has home advantage in Philadelphia, but Nicholson, from Maryland, won’t be far from his home base, either.
Also in action will be Philadelphia heavyweight Bryant Jennings (22-2, 13 KO), a former title challenger, against local battler Joey Dawejko (19-4-4, 11 KO).
Results
- Isaac Dogboe def. Jessie Magdaleno via TKO (1:38 of round 11)
- Jesse Hart def. Demond Nicholson via TKO (2:26 of round 7)
- Bryant Jennings def. Joey Dawejko via UD (98-92, 98-92, 98-92)
Round By Round
Jessie Magdaleno vs Isaac Dogboe
Round 1: Magdaleno with a jab. Dogboe coming forward. Right hand from Dogboe. Magdaleno has been off for just over a year, we’ll see if the rust hurts him. Jessie shoots a left, short on it. He wants to stay at distance, it seems. Another left is short, and Dogboe lands another shot inside. RIGHT HOOK AND DOGBOE IS DOWN! Dogboe up and looks OK, but we’ll see. Another left hurts Dogboe when they get back to it. Magdaleno looking very confident now, knows he can hurt this guy. He’s walking him down. Another good shot from Magdaleno, and another! Good round for Jessie, clearly. No rust, it seems. Magdaleno 10-8
Round 2: Dogboe trying to come in cautiously, head real low, nothing doing there. That was the first knockdown of Dogboe’s career, according to ESPN. Dogboe looked aggressive early, but he’s clearly learned to respect Jessie’s power. Dogboe misses a wild hook. Jab to the body from Magdaleno. Not much action here in the second round. Jessie wants to counter, and Dogboe isn’t giving him anything to counter. Right hand from Dogboe, and he’s going to the body. He’s getting aggressive now, and he lands another good right! Good trade along the ropes. Tie up at mid-ring. Straight left from Jessie misses. Right hand back from Dogboe. Dogboe 10-9, Magdaleno 19-18
Round 3: Dogboe with a shot behind the head. Dogboe gets caught again, and Magdaleno jumps on him, but he ties up. Right hook from Magdaleno, not all the way flush. Both guys swinging knockout shots, nobody setting much up, as Bradley notes. Dogboe with another couple shots late in the round. Dogboe 10-9, 28-28
Round 4: Dogboe doing work in the corner, scores a good right hand. This is a pretty good fight so far. They both have some advantages and there’s a sense of danger throughout. Dogboe backs Jessie to the corner again. Magdaleno may indeed have some rust, too. That first round was good but his timing isn’t great so far. Another right from Dogboe. Dogboe 10-9, 38-37
Round 5: DOWN GOES MAGDALENO! DOWN HARD EARLY IN THE ROUND! Dogboe coming at him hard now as the fight resumes! Swinging right hands, Jessie against the ropes! Left hook to the body from Dogboe. Jessie not tying up. Right hand lands clean! He’s landing to the body and trying to use that to set up head shots. Right to the body again. Jessie fires back. Dogboe still working him around the ring, against the ropes. Dogboe swinging power shots with both hands. Left to the body. Hard right to the body. Magdaleno gets off the ropes, but gets dug to the body again. Jessie calling Dogboe on! “Come on! Come on!” Sticking his chin out! More body shots from Dogboe. Magdaleno throws and looks unsteady. Another shot to the body. Lefts and rights up top with Jessie stuck in the corner! 10 seconds to go. Big round for Dogboe! Dogboe 10-8, 48-45
Round 6: Let’s see what we’ve got in the sixth! Dogboe clips him with another right coming in. Magdaleno had also never been down before. Dogboe warned for pushing on the head. Dogboe with another right hand. Jessie stuck in the corner again. He fights his way out this time and gets back to center ring. Left hand up top from Dogboe. Magdaleno just still looks a little out of sorts to me, not sure how to attack this guy, and can’t time him for counters. Magdaleno back to the ropes. Dogboe fighting very determinedly. Good body shot from Jessie. A minute left in the round. Dogboe backing up after that good body shot. Jessie backed to the ropes again, eats another right. And another! Magdaleno ties up to close the round. Dogboe 10-9, 58-54
Round 7: HEY! Magdaleno coming out REALLY fast to start this round! He’s looking to take back some momentum, he needs it, I think. Good right hand from Dogboe. Jessie bounces around, backs himself to the corner again. He’s doing that a lot and it’s hurting him. Jessie to the ropes yet again. Jessie flicking some jabs out. Dogboe stalking him. Right hand from Dogboe. Back into the corner again, and Dogboe unloads! Body and head shots. Left hook, right hand, body shot. I might have this wider than some, but I really think Dogboe has started to dominate this fight. The body work has been terrific. Magdaleno almost catches him off balance. Jessie shoots a lead left, doesn’t quite get it. Dogboe 10-9, 68-63
Round 8: Mark Kriegel doesn’t like social media. Isn’t he an old school soul, you guys? Good left from Jessie. Dogboe stalking though. Good body work, another right to the head from Dogboe. Magdaleno ties him up to get off the ropes. Jessie on the ropes again, again he ties up. At least he’s tying up now. Magdaleno moving and working better this round. He’s landing a little more. Right hand from Dogboe chops in as Jessie comes forward. Magdaleno with a little left. Right hand from Dogboe again. Magdaleno was better this round, but I still think Isaac had the better shots landed. Dogboe 10-9, 78-72
Round 9: Magdaleno still moving better, like last round. It’s keeping him in the argument now, at least. And he’s tying up more instead of letting Dogboe unload. And staying off the ropes. This is more Jessie’s style, giving him more opportunities. Wide left hand from Magdaleno misses. But he’s controlling the tempo at this moment. Dogboe looking for one right hand. Magdaleno not giving him the opening anymore. So there are some good adjustments here, and if judges have it closer than I do, it might be huge. Dogboe not throwing near as much this round. Uneventful round, which favors Jessie. Magdaleno 10-9, Dogboe 87-82
Round 10: Magdaleno looking to counter in the corner, doesn’t land anything but doesn’t eat any shots there, either. Dogboe throwing more again, Magdaleno avoiding the shots a little better than before, and tying up quicker. Dogboe coming in like a pitbull, but Magdaleno throwing with him, nobody landing anything real clean. Right hand from Dogboe! That got Jessie’s attention. Jessie covers up, Dogboe unloads and lands to the body. Hard shot from Dogboe! Magdaleno waves him in but he’s shaken a little bit. HARD body shots and Jessie dips down but doesn’t drop! Wild left might’ve clipped Jessie. Magdaleno falls down trying to tie up. His legs are going. Dogboe backs him to the corner and unloads again to end the round. Big round for Dogboe. Dogboe 10-9, 97-91
Round 11: Dogboe looking to start hot again this round, and I think he stung him again early here. Dogboe just coming right at him, furiously. Magdaleno caught with a shot and goes down again, complaining that he was hit low. Loudly complaining. Dogboe RUSHES at him after action resumes. Another body shot from Dogboe. Jessie in the corner again. Body shot again. Magdaleno down a third time on a left hook and IT IS OVER! Dogboe TKO-11
Jesse Hart vs Demond Nicholson
Round 1: Both guys can crack, so I’m expecting more fireworks than we had in the opener. This is Nicholson’s first 10-round fight, a true step up for him. Hart starting fast here with a right hand. He looks like he wants to be aggressive. Hart just all over him. Triple left with Nicholson against the ropes. Nicholson holds. Sweeping left from Hart. Hart is taller and just looks a lot bigger. Nicholson ducks a couple rights. Nicholson trying to do some work late but gets clipped again with a right hand, but WHAM AT THE BELL JESSE HART GETS ROCKED! It’s not enough to lose the round, but he got hurt there and the second round early might be interesting! Hart 10-9
Round 2: Hart coming out a lot more reserved to start this round. Nicholson might want to jump, but it’s a long fight and he doesn’t want to make a mistake himself. Right hand from Nicholson almost gets there. And now he’s coming forward. Nicholson is the one stalking right now. Hart still swinging with intent, but certainly not trying to maul like he did early. There’s an uppercut and a short right from Hart. This is settling into a boxing match now, but one with two guys who are throwing for real. Long jabs from Hart, flicking them out. Hart 10-9, 20-18
Round 3: Hart with an uppercut, Nicholson slips off balance, and they’re calling it a knockdown. Definitely didn’t look like one live. “That’s terrible. That is just terrible,” Tim Bradley says. Nah, that wasn’t a KD. They show an immediate replay. Now Nicholson making Hart uncomfortable, but not doing a lot to score points, either. Jab from Nicholson coming inside. Hart ties up. Left hand from Hart backs Nicholson up and that one may have really hurt him some. BIG RIGHT from Hart! Now Nicholson is down and that’s a knockdown for sure. Nicholson doesn’t believe that one either, but that one looked good live. Another right from Hart as they get back to it. He’s trying to beast mode him now! Nicholson throws back, to his credit. Hart 10-7, 30-25
Round 4: Hart doing more good work with his right hand. Nicholson getting close but not working when he does. Hart just winging power shots in spots, reckless but he’s winning the fight, but trying to force some shots. He wants the highlight reel KO at home in Philly. It’s working against him a little, but not so much that Nicholson is winning the round or anything. Hart 10-9, 40-34
Round 5: The more this goes on, it’s fun enough to watch, but I don’t think we’re learning anything new about either guy, really, other than Nicholson is physically overmatched a bit by Hart, and Jesse still has some bad habits. Nicholson is a scrapper and someone I’d be happy to watch more, but he’s outgunned here. Hart 10-9, 50-43
Round 6: Hart leaning on Nicholson now, pushing him to the ropes and working. They’re tying up, but working out of it. Nicholson turns it around and tries going to the body with scooping sort of shots. Nicholson’s worn out in there. Hart’s just too big and too busy. He’s still trying, and he finishes the round pretty nicely, but Hart rips back at him. Nicholson 10-9, Hart 59-53
Round 7: Hard rightfrom Hart about halfway into the round and Nicholson dips low and then — whatever happened there. Anyway, Hart trying to finish now, and he drops him again. Nicholson looks like he’s spent mentally. He’s arguing on his knees. The referee stops it and Nicholson has a minor fit. I have no idea what happened this round, but Hart won. Hart TKO-7
Bryant Jennings vs Joey Dawejko
Round 1: Jennings with a jab to the body to start. Right to the body from Dawejko. Jennings flicking the jab out. Tie up, they both throw shots to the body. Dawejko shoots a left hook, blocked. Dawejko coming forward, and they’re fighting in close quarters. Jennings backs off, looking to get range. Two jabs from Dawejko, they meet gloves. Jab to the body from Jennings. Dawejko trying to throw the right over the top. Jennings with a couple potshots to the body, Dawejko throws a backwards punch, and complains about being hit in the back. Good body shot from Dawejko. Dawejko sneaks in a little right hand. I liked Dawejko by a hair. Dawejko 10-9
Round 2: Quick little hook from Jennings lands. He’s trying to keep the right range, as he’s taller and a lot longer. 1-2 from Jennings. Right hand to the body from Jennings. Dawejko’s jabs meeting gloves again. Dawejko with a little jab. Dawejko misses a right hand. Jennings flicking his jab. Good hook to the body from Dawejko, but a little low. They tap gloves and carry on after a quick warning. Good jab from Jennings, and a right hand over the top. Jennings 10-9, 19-19
Round 3: Jennings still trying to establish his jab. Right hand from Dawejko, he needs to get a little more aggressive. Uppercut inside from Jennings. Dawejko with a great combination, two lefts to start, a hook and a body shot, and a left uppercut splitting the guard. Dawejko can work, his record is deceptive. Jennings bringing some good action back now. Dawejko again to the body, and again warned for going low. Phone booth fight at the moment. Two jabs from Jennings, just poking jabs, not much steam. Jennings again trying to stay at distance. Dawejko feigns with a right, nothing behind it. Dawejko 10-9, 29-28
Round 4: Dawejko trying to work inside again, and lands a little right hand up top. Jab from Dawejko. Jennings shoots a right, maybe clipped Dawejko. Right hand to the body from Dawejko. Left to the body from Dawejko, Jennings with a body shot of his own. Jennings pokes another jab in. Right to the body from Jennings, then a clipping shot up top. Right hand to the body from Dawejko. Jennings keeping distance still, not letting Dawejko work as much, but also not really out-jabbing Dawejko. And now Jennings strays low, and the clock gets stopped with five seconds left as Dawejko doubles over for a second. Both guys told to keep it clean again. Quick flurry of action for those final five seconds. Jennings 10-9, 38-38
Round 5: Dawejko with more good work inside, arguably getting the better of things with Jennings throwing back, too. Another little trade in close. Tie up and a break. Jennings moving on the outside. He’s really not doing as much as you’d like to see, but honestly neither is Dawejko. Both could stand to work more. Right hand up top from Dawejko is blocked, Jennings lands a jab back. Jennings with a good right hand late, pushes Dawejko back. This is a tight fight so far. Jennings 10-9, 48-47
Round 6: Little bit of trading early in the round as we start the second half of this fight. Jennings with a good shot that sends Dawejko off balance for a moment, but Dawejko quickly ties up. He got stung there. Dawejko not getting off right now, Jennings lulling him with the probing jab. A bit chippy at moments but not with any real ill intent, it seems. Jennings 10-9, 58-56
Round 7: Dawejko trying to work in close again, and I think he’s learned that’s his best bet in this fight. Jennings jabbing again, popping it out. Jab to the body from Dawejko. Right hand up top touches Dawejko. Uppercut inside from Jennings, and another. Dawejko leaning in. Now we’re questioning his conditioning at this later stage of the fight. Dawejko shoots a right to the body. They’re working inside, Dawejko doing a bit more but not landing a lot clean. At least he’s working. Dawejko shoots in again, but Jennings avoids him and jabs again. Uppercut again from Jennings. Dawejko still battling, still trying to force the issue in the phone booth. Combination from Jennings late. Jennings 10-9, 68-65
Round 8: Jennings with a right inside, backs Dawejko off for a moment. Dawejko scrapping inside again, Jennings leaning against the ropes. Now it’s getting chippy again for a moment, they tie up and break. Dawejko is able to get close here and there, but not do much work when he gets there. Jennings has found the rhythm and the right strategy. He’s letting his hands go enough to win rounds. It’s not a great showing, really, not making anyone think he’s gonna win a world title suddenly, but he’s winning. Jennings 10-9, 78-74
Round 9: Jennings again staying at distance, letting his jab go. By my view, Dawejko needs something special in these final two rounds. Jennings has just been the better fighter here. He’s outlanding him, landing cleaner shots, working a bit more. Dawejko backs Jennings to the corner, but can’t do anything from there. Right hand up top from Jennings. That punch has probably been there from distance more than he’s used it — he’s landed it a few times. Dawejko getting a little desperate, which is at least better than accepting your fate. Jabs to the body from Jennings. Clean jab up top. Dawejko throws, not much doing there. Jennings 10-9, 88-83
Round 10: Dawejko’s corner tells him he needs the KO. “You’re making the moves, but you’re not punching off of them.” That’s been the story. Dawejko is clearly a competent fighter, but he physically gives a lot away in a lot of fights, and he needs to really work if he’s gonna win a fight at this level. Jab from Jennings. Dawejko pressing and throws a right hand to the head that lands. Left to the body from Dawejko, and another. Jennings not taking any chances, and Dawejko is pressing hard, to his credit. Jennings with a slappy left hook. Right hands miss. Dawejko’s mouthpiece falls out on a jab. Mark Kriegel smells conspiracy! Bradley goes along with it. Teddy Atlas yells at his TV somewhere. Jennings putting shots together now, looking to take the round late. 15 seconds to go, both guys look tired, both guys still fighting. Dawejko gave the effort in this last round, and if the judges have it closer than I do, it might be interesting. But I think Jennings deserves the W. Dawejko 10-9, Jennings 97-93