Ahead of Matchroom’s headlining Smith vs Rebrasse at the Echo Arena, Liverpool, UK fight fans will witness Martin Murray, Tony Bellew, Rocky Fielding and Tommy Martin. Stick with us as we provide round by round live updates of the undercard action. Needless to say, you’ll need to hit the Refresh button in between rounds, fight fans! The same updates will be flying on to Twitter as well.
Smith vs Rebrasse Undercard
Tommy Martin vs Terry Needham
Round 1
Feeling out round for both men. Bam! – down goes Martin! Needham tagged, almost goes down! Needham coming on strong now! Needham, 10-8
Round 2
Martin doesn’t quite have a foot in this fight yet. Needham fancying his chances here. Goes to work on a rope-bound Martin! Martin lands a flush counter-hook on Needham! Martin, 10-9 (18-19)
Round 3
Martin just can’t find his rhythm. Needham in picking some nice punches and they’re registering. Slightly better work from Needham here. 10-9 (27-29)
Round 4
Martin looking frustrated, but starting to find his range. Needham seems the man more confident with letting his hands go. Clipping right-hand from Martin. Right-hand from Martin. Needham coming forward now. Tricky round to score. Martin, 10-9 (38-37)
Round 5
Needham comes forward and lets the leather fly. Body, head, body. Martin feeling out with the jab. Needham lands some hard shots at a cornered Martin. Needham wants this. Peach of a right from Martin. Martin’s boxing skills starting show as he evades a Needham attack. Round could go either way with judges. 10-9, Needham, (48-46)
Round 6
Uppercut from Needham. Left-hook from Martin. Both big shots! Martin comes on to front foot now, can’t get to Needham. Needham cut on right eye. Could pay dividends as fight goes on. Martin has just two rounds to turn this 8-rounder around. Martin, 10-9 (57-56)
Round 7
Martin throwing out the jab, but can’t find the target as is the story of this fight. Too wary of his foe here. Letting short combinations go now. Needham tagged, wobbles Needham and knocks him down – and it’s over! Referee waves it off. Premature?
Result: Martin wins via 8th round TKO
Martin Murray vs George Beroshvili
Round 1
Murray looking the sharper fighter from the onset. Murray looking to put some heavy combinations together here. Body shots seem to be a key component of Murray’s game plan. Beroshvili has some fundamentals – at least when it comes to defense. Murray, 10-9
Round 2
Murray bossing the action once more, but this is more bullying shots than destructive. Then out of nowhere a body shot drops Beroshvili! He can’t get up – this is over!
Result: Murray wins via 2nd round KO
Tony Bellew vs Ivica Bacurin
Round 1
Fast jab from Bellew. Bellew looking very big, not exactly muscular at Cruiserweight. Neither man establishing range just yet. Bellew jab to the body. Bellew getting off infrequent, but cleaner shots. Bellew jab. Bacurin opens up, but Bellew counters with a quick right-hand off ropes. Bellew, 10-9
Round 2
Bellew perhaps looking to land counters in this fight, biding his time. Left-hook knocks down Bacurin! Bellew still patient after his foe rises. Looking for left-hook again. Wild right-hook from Bacurin. Bellew, 10-8 (20-17)
Round 3
Bacurin comes forward and lands a couple of registering shots. More purposeful. Bellew back on the jab center ring. Very patient Bellew, indeed. Bellew misses with whistling counter-right. Bellew lands long right-hand. Throwing more leather now. Bellew, 10-9 (30-26)
Round 4
Body shots registering, fueling Bacurin to fight back now. Bacurin coming forward. Single right-hand from Bellew. Goes on attack, tied up. Bacurin looking outclassed, fight turning one-sided. Bacurin does not fancy this fight. Bellew, 10-9 (40-35)
Round 5
This could be over fairly soon, Bacurin looking disheartened. Bacurin turns around, wants out. Has telling off from referee. Bellew senses hurt prey here. Bacurin holding. Bellew drops Bacurin, but Bacurin more-so lowers himself. Bacurin beats count, fires back. Bacurin wobbled by right-hand. Left-hook from Bellew. Bellew, 10-8 (50-43)
Round 6
Bacurin takes uppercut from aggressive Bellew in opening seconds. Bellew should finish this early. Can’t nail Bacurin quite clean enough as he enters survival mode. Bellew jab. Bacurin gets off a counter-jab. One-two from Bellew. Bellew. 10-9 (60-52)
Round 7
Bellew really should be taking this guy out if he’s looking to land future big fights. Why so patient? One-two from Bellew. Left-hook to the body from Bellew. Bacurin zoned into survival mode. Happy to stay on back foot, spoil, and defend. Right to the body from Bellew. Grazing right-hand over the top from Bellew. Bellew, 10-9 (70-61)
Round 8
Crowd getting restless, not liking the slow pace. Bellew hits on break – argues that referee didn’t call stop. Bellew coming on strong, angry now. Back on the jab. These single shots, jab, cross, just aren’t enough to get the job done inside the distance. Bellew, 10-9 (80-70)
Round 9
Bellew is going to face criticism if he can’t finish off Bacurin. This is now becoming a career-hinging fight. Big right to the body from Bellew. Bellew knocks down Bacurin with right-hand! Bell saves Bacurin! Bellew, 10-8 (90-78)
Round 10
Bellew looking to end this fight now, and in style. Bellew throwing hard straight-rights. Referee fianlly saves Bacurin from further punishment.
Result: Bellew wins via 10th round TKO
Rocky Fielding vs Brian Vera
Round 1
Fielding working from a distance well in opener, utilizing his longer reach. Vera aggressive as always. Fielding clips Vera with left-hook. Vera looks susceptible to just about every shot here. Vera getting off a few jabs, however. Fielding makes his man pay for a wild miss, throws a stinging combination. Knocks down Vera with an uppercut! Fielding, 10-8
Round 2
Fielding clipping Vera all over the place. Vera knocked down from left-hook! Vera in serious trouble, referee steps in! It’s over!
Result: Fielding wins via 2nd round TKO
Let us know your take on the night’s action ahead of top-billed Smith vs Rebrasse.
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