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kenyan_cheena · 02-23-2005, 04:22 AM

ROUND FIVE

During the intermission, the crowd erupts again with their "GO JOE!" chant. The Englishman has, without a doubt, put in a much better showing than most experts believed he was capable of.

Twenty seconds in, Johnson lets loose with a flurry of punches, lefts and rights, hooks and jabs. But Beckett shows an excellent defense, blocking or evading the majority of them. When he counters with a single, beautiful uppercut that rocks Johnson, the crowd roars their approval!

Johnson comes in behind a pair of flashing jabs, but Beckett wraps him up, not allowing the Texan to work from in close. The referee separates the two fighters and Johnson lands another stiff jab, right on Beckett's forehead.

Beckett goes for the home run with a big right hand, but it doesn't connect cleanly, the punch glancing off the top of Johnson's head. Both men are already showing more urgency here in the fifth, knowing that the fight is close.

The #3 seed displays some excellent hand speed, catching Beckett with at least six clean shots. But the Englishman returns fire! A straight right snaps Johnson's head back. To the crowds delight, the two men stand toe-to-toe at centre ring, trading angry, vicious bombs. The crowd is delirious to see that it's Beckett who backs up Johnson when he lands the last punch of the exchange, a crunching right hook.

Johnson was cut during that exchange! Just under the right eye! It doesn't look too serious, but it just might be enough to unsettle him.

Taking a moment to regroup, Johnson then steps in and lands a lovely straight right! Oh, that punch hurt the Englishman! Johnson doesn't let up, teeing off with power shots. So much for being unsettled. Beckett looks like he's starting to tire. With a minute to go here in the fifth round, few could blame him. Somehow, he wraps Johnson up in a clinch, closer to tasting the canvas than he has been at any stage during the fight.

Beckett manages to move back out of Johnson's range, and the Texan accepts this in an almost resigned manner, even taking a few seconds to hitch up his trunks. Surely, he could not have planned for this bout to be as tough and challenging as it has been for him.

With Beckett taking a bit of a breather, courtesy of the ropes, Johnson comes straight in at him, punishing the Englishman's ribcage. But Beckett lands his fair share in the exchange, a short hook pushing Johnson back. The Galveston native unloads with a left and a right, but Beckett evades both punches.

Johnson muscles his way back in and finds his target with a crunching uppercut. The bell rings but Beckett fires off a right hand that Johnson steps back from. Johnson retaliates! At first, he simply shows exasperation, but then he snaps and shoves Beckett hard back into the ropes. He gets in the Englishman's face. Those at ringside can hear Johnson's words clearly.

"You wanna keep on goin' after the bell?!" Johnson shouts. "Come on, then! Let's keep this thing goin', punk!"

Johnson takes up a fighting stance, the crowd roaring for more before Referee Medina-Solar is able to step in between the two warriors. Johnson takes out his frustration on Medina-Solar, arguing with him as he makes his way back to his corner. Beckett takes it all in stride...

*

Whew. You want passion, you got it. It's pretty obvious that Beckett has made it a priority to get under Johnson's skin. Twice now the Englishman has thrown punches after the bell, leading to the Texan losing his cool. Now, as for the action in the fifth. Clearly, the most exciting, action-packed round of the fight. Both men were able to land some punishing shots, but I would have to score it in Johnson's favour. He was simply sharper, and more aggressive. At one stage there, Beckett was out on his feet, but strangely, Johnson either could not or would not finish him off. I really think that Johnson is struggling much more than he is letting on. Most thought that he'd be drying off after taking a shower by now. Still, all he has to do is avoid losing the final round, and he should take the decision...

My Scorecard: Johnson 10-9
(The Texan by a single point, 48-47, going into the final round)

Punch Totals, Round Five

Johnson - landed: 35 thrown: 65
(progressive total - landed: 119 thrown: 313)
Beckett - landed: 24 thrown: 39
(progressive total - landed: 78 thrown: 230)

02-23-2005, 04:22 AM	#90 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,134	ROUND FIVE During the intermission, the crowd erupts again with their "GO JOE!" chant. The Englishman has, without a doubt, put in a much better showing than most experts believed he was capable of. Twenty seconds in, Johnson lets loose with a flurry of punches, lefts and rights, hooks and jabs. But Beckett shows an excellent defense, blocking or evading the majority of them. When he counters with a single, beautiful uppercut that rocks Johnson, the crowd roars their approval! Johnson comes in behind a pair of flashing jabs, but Beckett wraps him up, not allowing the Texan to work from in close. The referee separates the two fighters and Johnson lands another stiff jab, right on Beckett's forehead. Beckett goes for the home run with a big right hand, but it doesn't connect cleanly, the punch glancing off the top of Johnson's head. Both men are already showing more urgency here in the fifth, knowing that the fight is close. The #3 seed displays some excellent hand speed, catching Beckett with at least six clean shots. But the Englishman returns fire! A straight right snaps Johnson's head back. To the crowds delight, the two men stand toe-to-toe at centre ring, trading angry, vicious bombs. The crowd is delirious to see that it's Beckett who backs up Johnson when he lands the last punch of the exchange, a crunching right hook. Johnson was cut during that exchange! Just under the right eye! It doesn't look too serious, but it just might be enough to unsettle him. Taking a moment to regroup, Johnson then steps in and lands a lovely straight right! Oh, that punch hurt the Englishman! Johnson doesn't let up, teeing off with power shots. So much for being unsettled. Beckett looks like he's starting to tire. With a minute to go here in the fifth round, few could blame him. Somehow, he wraps Johnson up in a clinch, closer to tasting the canvas than he has been at any stage during the fight. Beckett manages to move back out of Johnson's range, and the Texan accepts this in an almost resigned manner, even taking a few seconds to hitch up his trunks. Surely, he could not have planned for this bout to be as tough and challenging as it has been for him. With Beckett taking a bit of a breather, courtesy of the ropes, Johnson comes straight in at him, punishing the Englishman's ribcage. But Beckett lands his fair share in the exchange, a short hook pushing Johnson back. The Galveston native unloads with a left and a right, but Beckett evades both punches. Johnson muscles his way back in and finds his target with a crunching uppercut. The bell rings but Beckett fires off a right hand that Johnson steps back from. Johnson retaliates! At first, he simply shows exasperation, but then he snaps and shoves Beckett hard back into the ropes. He gets in the Englishman's face. Those at ringside can hear Johnson's words clearly. "You wanna keep on goin' after the bell?!" Johnson shouts. "Come on, then! Let's keep this thing goin', punk!" Johnson takes up a fighting stance, the crowd roaring for more before Referee Medina-Solar is able to step in between the two warriors. Johnson takes out his frustration on Medina-Solar, arguing with him as he makes his way back to his corner. Beckett takes it all in stride... * Whew. You want passion, you got it. It's pretty obvious that Beckett has made it a priority to get under Johnson's skin. Twice now the Englishman has thrown punches after the bell, leading to the Texan losing his cool. Now, as for the action in the fifth. Clearly, the most exciting, action-packed round of the fight. Both men were able to land some punishing shots, but I would have to score it in Johnson's favour. He was simply sharper, and more aggressive. At one stage there, Beckett was out on his feet, but strangely, Johnson either could not or would not finish him off. I really think that Johnson is struggling much more than he is letting on. Most thought that he'd be drying off after taking a shower by now. Still, all he has to do is avoid losing the final round, and he should take the decision... My Scorecard: *Johnson 10-9* (The Texan by a single point, 48-47, going into the final round) Punch Totals, Round Five Johnson - landed: 35 thrown: 65 (progressive total - landed: 119 thrown: 313) Beckett - landed: 24 thrown: 39 (progressive total - landed: 78 thrown: 230) Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 04-29-2005 at 06:21 PM.