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Originally Posted by GForce
May '05: Notable Results Cont.
IBF Welterweight: Corey Spinks (3-1) vs Donald Curry (3-1, 1 KO)
A pair of slick, quick, very good defensive fighters in what was expected to be an even matchup, Curry having an edge in power. Curry is the aggressor, but Spinks seems a bit more in control throughout a contest that is too close to call all the way through. Spinks lands a few more shots, but Curry's have more steam. Spinks looks hurt on a few occasions, but nobody hits the deck, there's no real swelling despite a pair of rough accidental head butts. Curry takes the final two rounds, as Spinks gets overly defensive, perhaps thinking foolishly he was up comfortably. But Curry loses a point for a low blow in the 9th, a decision that draws boos from the crowd and rage from Curry's corner. So at the end of the night it goes to the cards...
Curry 96-94...
Spinks 96-94...
95-95.
The bout is a draw. On a "points" basis...Spinks wins only one round by more than 2 points...Curry wins 3...the other 6 rounds are all within 2 points. Curry inflicted more damage, and the point deduction in the 9th obviously costs Curry the decision. The Cobra is gracious about it after the fight, moreso than Spinks, who whines that he was robbed.
Donald Curry DRAW Corey Spinks
WBC Heavyweight: Hasim Rahman (1-2, 1 KO) vs David Tua (0-3)
Two struggling fighters in desperate need of a win. Tua has been stopped by Greg Page and Jerry Quarry and knocked out by Evander Holyfield. Rahman lost a questionable stoppage in the opening round of the tournament to George Chuvalo, and was featured prominently in the fight to have officials and physicians be more lenient in their treatment of cuts and swelling. His lone win was a knockout of Kirk Johnson. Most recently, he was stopped by Jimmy Ellis in November. Here, Tua is dominant early, putting Rahman down in the first and controlling the first 4 rounds. But Rahman recovers to take rounds 5 and 6, burying shots to the body of Tua. But in a strange 7th round, Rahman goes down twice, bouncing up at the count of 1 both times, arguing both as slips but losing both arguments. He responds by coming back and dropping Tua in the 8th. Rahman batters Tua for the remainder of the round, but he holds on. But Tua seems exhausted, and Rahman is all over him in the 9th. Tua keeps his feet but is battered throughout the round, and it appears Rahman may be able to take him out. But Rahman had experienced severe swelling above his right eye throughout the fight, and in the 10th, Tua follows a combination with a thunderous hook that puts Rahman down...and out. Tua gets a much needed victory in a thrilling, if ugly, bout.
David Tua KO 10 Hasim Rahman
More bouts of note to come
GH
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