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Today at 3 pm ET streaming live on KlowdTV, one of the biggest and best fights of the year comes our way from Moscow, as Oleksandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev meet in a full division unification bout in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series tournament.
Usyk (14-0, 11 KO) holds the WBC and WBO titles in the division, while Gassiev (26-0, 19 KO) is the holder of the WBA and IBF titles.
To get here, Usyk has beaten Marco Huck and Mairis Briedis in the tournament, which he came into as the clear favorite. But things have changed a bit, and Gassiev, with wins over Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and Yunier Dorticos, both by stoppage, has put himself in position to win this thing, and he’s got a good shot.
The stream is set to go live at 3 pm ET, and we’ll be here with live coverage for the main event. Join us!
Results
- Oleksandr Usyk def. Murat Gassiev by unanimous decision (119-109, 119-109, 120-108)
Oleksandr Usyk vs Murat Gassiev
Round 1: Usyk jabbing to start. Following up with a left here and there, but not throwing with real authority yet, just feeling it out. Gassiev doing nothing so far, looking for openings. Good jab from Usyk. Gassiev throws a left to the body. Usyk picking and pecking, staying busy. Another good jab. Usyk 10-9
Round 2: Gassiev looking like he wants to get going, showing a little more life in his legs. Usyk moving, though, and still working the jab really well, outworking Gassiev. Gassiev with a really nice left to the body, he’s here. But Usyk is controlling things still, jabbing and moving, mixing in his left hand now and then. Usyk swiping with the hook, just putting it out there. Gassiev back to the body with one shot. Counter left from Usyk to end the round. Usyk 10-9, 20-18
Round 3: Gassiev needs to get going. And he really wants the body, which is smart, because Usyk, like most people, clearly doesn’t love being punched hard to the body. Usyk’s volume is still strong and allowing him to dictate pace. Moving well, too, as usual. He looks sharper here than he did against Briedis. Gassiev landing the odd shot but it’s hard to put too much stock in him landing one at a time, at least as far as scoring a round goes. Counter left from Usyk. Usyk 10-9, 30-27
Round 4: Gassiev with another left to the body. He really needs to cut the ring off more, but Usyk makes that very difficult. Usyk starting to get flashier now, starting to dig in a bit more. Usyk makes him miss foolishly, then gets right back to the jab. BIG RIGHT HAND FROM GASSIEV! Usyk hangs on, gets his balance, and the round ends. Still an Usyk round but Gassiev isn’t asleep in there. Usyk 10-9, 40-36
Round 5: Gassiev trying to walk Usyk down, Usyk not letting it happen. Gassiev throws a right to the body, Usyk counters with a left up top. Gassiev to the body with a left, counter right from Usyk. Still, it’s Usyk staying busier. But that right at the end of the fourth definitely got his attention and made him re-respect the danger of Gassiev. Gassiev with a right to the body. Usyk 10-9, 50-45
Round 6: Usyk continues to jab away. When Gassiev does land, which is here and there, Usyk comes right back on him. Gassiev is hitting the hips here and there. I mean, it’s illegal, but it’s something. Might slow Usyk down a little, anyway. But Usyk continues to win this fight. He’s quieted the crowd significantly. Usyk 10-9, 60-54
Round 7: Abel Sanchez has grown frustrated with Gassiev, who has grown frustrated with himself. Gassiev strays low yet again. Referee warns him again. Gassiev cannot cut the ring off here to save his life. It’s not even that he can’t, it’s that Usyk is just too mobile, too quick for him. But there’s a decent right from Gassiev, Usyk takes it well. Usyk back with a couple shots. Gassiev swings another big right, doesn’t get there. Gassiev has fight changing power still, but Usyk just keeps going here and he remains in control. Usyk 10-9, 70-63
Round 8: Usyk keeps bouncing around, peppering Gassiev near relentlessly. Gassiev misses a right hand. He’s missing shots by a good bit a lot of the time, but that one was closer. Usyk jabbing, jabbing, moving, moving. Putting some combinations together at times. This is really a class performance, as good as he’s ever looked. Usyk 10-9, 80-72
Round 9: Usyk starting fast this round. Then he goes back to sticking the jab in. Gassiev trying to land power shots, but Usyk mostly making him miss. Usyk is schooling Gassiev. We’re now late enough into the fight that this can be confidently said. Gassiev also looking pretty fatigued, which is no surprise. He’s spent a lot of energy chasing Usyk, missing shots, and eating punches. And Usyk just keeps going. Good long left uppercut from Usyk before the bell. Usyk 10-9, 90-81
Round 10: Usyk is breaking him down now. Gassiev lands a right, but Usyk just eats it and keeps going. Usyk just beating him up right now. It’s not overwhelming power, he’s not banging real hard, but it’s overwhelming skill. There is nothing Gassiev can do about it. Dominant round from Usyk again. Gassiev still coming forward, just getting whacked around for it. Usyk 10-9, 100-90
Round 11: Gassiev looks mentally finished. Probably has been for a few rounds. Gassiev goes to the body, but then Usyk slaps him around some more. Another round for Usyk. Unless Gassiev has a miracle in him or we see an all-time bad decision, he’s going home with that trophy. Usyk 10-9, 110-99
Round 12: Usyk isn’t cruising, he’s just working away as he has all fight. Jab, jab, left cross, left uppercut. He’s fighting like he wants the KO. I mean he doesn’t have one-shot power, but he has broken Gassiev to pieces at this point. Usyk showboats a bit to close, then they embrace. Usyk 10-9, 120-108