Premier Boxing Champions ‘Lara vs. Rodriguez’ on Spike Results & Play-by-Play

Artur Beterbiev vs. Alexander Johnson

Round 1

Beterbiev comes out with a statuesque stance, trying to find a range. Johnson is moving side to side but he’s not letting his hands go, either. Johnson tosses out a few pawing jabs, but they fall short. Beterbiev throws a right hand, but it’s blocked. Johnson then blocks the two lefts to the body during a clinch. Johnson starts to open up his attacks midway through the frame, but Beterbiev cracks him with a short right. Beterbiev lands two left hands to the head, but they are mostly blocked and Johnson takes them well. Alexander “The Great” is very composed in the fight, but he takes a decent right hand clean on the cheek with 20 seconds left. Beterbiev closes the gap with successive right hands but Johnson blocks them. Close round 10-9 Beterbiev.

Round 2

Johnson storms right out with the jab. He pops the Russian a few times with it, but Beterbiev is unfazed. Beterbiev nails him with a short left hand and Johnson appears to stumble back. Beterbiev chases after him, but Johnson is blocking all of the attacks. Hard straight right to the gut by Beterbiev, and Johnson clearly isn’t too fond of it. Beterbiev follows that up with a right to the face, but it’s of the glancing variety. The Russian is pressing the action quite a bit now and Johnson looks more and more uncomfortable. A nice left hand to the head from Beterbiev, and then another. Beterbiev lands a hard right uppercut on the inside but Johnson takes them well. Johnson is on his bike heavily, not looking to engage with his unbeaten foe. 10-9 Beterbiev.

Round 3

Beterbiev is very aggressive as soon as the round starts. He throws two right hands but they are mostly blocked. Johnson lands a nice left hand and then walks forward, but Beterbiev isn’t hurt. The action slows considerably into the middle of the round as Beterbiev is looking to find an opening for his power. Beterbiev presses his foe into the ropes and rakes his body with a left and right. Johnson remains on the ropes where he doesn’t belong and Beterbiev digs more power to the midsection, but all of his punches to the head are blocked. Johnson is not willing to engage at the bell. 10-9 Beterbiev.

Round 4

Beterbiev comes out firing the left jab to the guts. Johnson isn’t moving as much as he was earlier in the fight and then eats a right hand. It’s clean and it slightly staggers Johnson, who quickly clinches. Johnson lands a right and left to the body but he’s tagged by a left in return, forcing another clinch. Nice straight left clean on the face by the American, his best punch of the fight with 80 seconds left. Beterbiev lands a nice left to the head and it hurts Johnson. Beterbiev slugs away at the body and chases his foe into the ropes. The Russian nails him with another hard right to the head and then with the left. Johnson is still standing and he’s blasted by a flurry to the body and then two upstairs. He seems a little buzzed but he’s not in serious danger. 10-9 Beterbiev.

Round 5

Beterbiev has never been into the fifth round in his career until now. Hard left jab by Beterbiev and then follows it up with a left hook. It’s a glancing blow but Johnson felt it. Johnson comes back with a hard right to the body, but Beterbiev returns the favor and his punch is much harder. Johnson is breathing heavily now and he is blasted by a straight left hand. Johnson crumbles in a heap, but he’s claiming he slipped. He’s up and on his bike immediately. Beterbiev stalks him into the ropes. A left uppercut by the Russian is clean and then a follow-up right hand sends Johnson sprawling into the ropes and he’s ruled down. He’s up again and decides to continue, but he is in terrible shape. He is pounded and chased all over the ring, but he somehow survives the round. 10-7 Beterbiev.

Round 6

Johnson’s trainer is threatening to stop the fight and the referee Mark Nelson said he’ll stop it if Johnson doesn’t show him something. Johnson comes out hard, looking to land some good shots. His head appears to be cleared as he lands several jabs to the head and body. Beterbiev is patient, but he’s not letting his hands go at all. With a minute left, Beterbiev hasn’t thrown his right hand at all; it might be injured. Beterbiev has only thrown a handful of jabs while Johnson, though he’s not doing much, is winning the frame with his jabs and body shots. 10-9 Johnson.

Round 7

Johnson comes out hard again and lands a right/left to the head. Beterbiev paws with the jab and finally throws a right hand, but he’s tagged by a counter right hook in return. Johnson looks to throw a right hand and lunges forward, walking into a short left hand. Johnson falls onto his knees and is correctly ruled down. He’s not hurt and gets back up, ready to fight. Beterbiev walks forward while Johnson backs into the ropes. The American tries to throw a combo but he slips just a bit and is crushed by an overhand right that lands directly on the temple. Johnson crumbles onto his knees and Nelson calls it off.

The Official Result

Artur Beterbiev def. Alexander Johnson via TKO (ref stoppage) 1:38, R7

Erislandy Lara vs. Delvin Rodriguez

Round 1

Good action early on as both men trade some serious leather. Lara pops Rodriguez with that right jab and lethal left hang. Rodriguez fires back, but he is getting tagged by that left hand whenever Lara wants. A double jab/straight left a minute in rocks Rodriguez as he backs into the ropes. Lara is very relaxed but active and continues to rifle out that jab. Rodriguez has gathered himself and is throwing punches, but Lara is picking virtually everything off. Lara lands another left hand near the bell. All Lara. 10-9 Lara.

Round 2

Lara keeps his distance with the jab, preventing Rodriguez from getting inside. Beautiful sweeping right hook lands for Lara, who goes right back to the jab. Rodriguez is having incredible difficulty in getting his shots off a minute in. Lara is extremely smooth, making his foes miss over and over while he counters with the jab and left hand. A perfect jab from the Cuban southpaw snaps Rodriguez’ head back. It’s all Lara again. 10-9 Lara.

Round 3

The dominance continues early as Rodriguez is pelted by the jab over and over. Slick straight left/jab by Lara is clean a minute in. Lara counters over a right hand by landing a powerful lead left. Lara pops his foe with a three-punch combo right in the mouth. Hard right hook followed by a straight left rocks Rodriguez. Lara immediately follows it up with a brilliant three-punch combo to the face. Rodriguez has no answer for the attacks and wings a few desperate shots but they find only air. Lara closes the round with a double left hand. 10-9 Lara.

Round 4

Rodriguez is trying to be more assertive as he’s walking right after Lara early, but he can’t get any punches off. Lara jabs to gain the angles and keeps the Dominican away. Lara remains in total control with his perfect jab and lead left hand. Rodriguez is growing more and more flustered as he simply can’t get inside the reach and jab of the Cuban. Right hook by Lara after a left ends the round. 10-9 Lara.

Round 5

Pretty much the same thing as the previous four rounds: Lara in dominating fashion. A minute in, “The American Dream” unfurls a sizzling four-punch combo the head that shakes Rodriguez, who has nothing in return. Lara is peppering him all over the place and the crowd eventually turns on them, littering the ring with boos. Rodriguez can’t do anything and he’s not as aggressive, either, leaving fewer and fewer holes for Lara to exploit. The round ends with Lara jabbing and the crowd continuing to boo. 10-9 Lara.

Round 6

Lara rifles the jab repeatedly, keeping Rodriguez at bay. Lara cracks him with a sturdy straight left hand that snaps Rodriguez’ head back. They tangle up and Rodriguez ends up on the canvas, but it’s ruled a push. Hard right/left by Lara, but Rodriguez backs up to avoid the follow-up punches. Beautiful jab/straight left is on the button and Rodriguez falls onto his backside. He is woozy but beats the count. When the fight resumes, the bell ends the round, saving Rodriguez. 10-8 Lara.

Round 7

Rodriguez comes right after Lara to start the round, but the Cuban keeps that jab out there. Lara pops him with another double jab, but Rodriguez comes back to the body with a powerful left hook. Lara tags him with another straight left and then a smooth right hook. Rodriguez continues to eats the jab and absorb that perfect straight left hand. Lara remains in total control as he is picking Rodriguez apart. 10-9 Lara.

Round 8

Rodriguez continues to study the blueprint of how to lose to Lara. The Cuban sticks his challenger with the jab whenever he wants, but the crowd begins to boo a minute in. Rodriguez is trying to be a little more aggressive but Lara prevents him. Late in the round, a left hand rocks Rodriguez, forcing him to stumble across the ring. 10-9 Lara.

Round 9

Lara cracks him with a short left uppercut as Rodriguez charges inside. Rodriguez is starting to wear down and he looks like a beaten fighter as he’s tagged by a right cross. Lara jabs and moves, and then lands another fierce straight left hand. Rodriguez is getting beaten up now, and he’s nailed by another thudding left hand. Rodriguez is backing up, looking ragged and getting torn up. 10-9 Lara.

Round 10

Rodriguez is trying to get back into the fight but virtually everything he throws is blocked or misses. Lara continues to stick to his game with the jab and lead left hand, but he’s not looking to end things. Lara cracks him with a perfect left hand at the minute mark, but Rodriguez takes it well. Lara lands a slick right/left and then ends the round with another nice left hand on the jaw. 10-9 Lara.

Round 11

Lara jabs the pressing Rodriguez away, per the norm. Rodriguez is a few steps slower than the champ and he can’t get inside to do anything. Lara lands a great right/left and is caused Rodriguez to stumble. Lara follows him and delivers a nice left hand and Rodriguez stumbles from one side of the ring to the other, flailing his arms and then falls onto the seat of his trunks. The referee rules it a slip, though. Rodriguez lands a nice overhand right that snaps Lara’s head back. Another. Rodriguez is gassed out and staggers around after a glancing left hand grazes him. 10-9 Lara.

Round 12

Replays between rounds prove that Lara’s right foot tripped Rodriguez when he landed that left hand, so it was a good call. As the round starts, Rodriguez absolutely needs a knockout to win regardless of who the ringside judges are. He’s not too desperate to start the round, but Lara does land a series of jabs. Midway through the frame, Rodriguez swallows another straight left hand. For good measure, Lara gives him another one. With a minute left, Rodriguez is not going for broke, trying to score a dramatic KO. Huge left hand by Lara rocks Rodriguez, but the Dominican native raises his arms in defiance. Lara lands two more solid lefts and with 10 seconds left, Rodriguez tries to come alive. He pops Lara with a right hand at the bell. 10-9 Lara (120-107 Lara).

The Official Result

Erislandy Lara def. Delvin Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision (120-107, 120-107, 120-107) 3:00, R12