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(continuation)
Following is a round-by-round account of Ray Leonard vs James Ray, as detailed by Peter Roman of the New York Sun...
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I have to say that this bout qualifies as one of the most eagerly awaited I've covered since competition in the HBF started back in January. The atmosphere here in the Foxwoods Resort Casino is something to behold, the anticipation thick in the air.
Both of these young men stand 5'10" but the 21 year-old Florida native weighed-in three pounds heavier at 147. It shows on his more muscular frame, Leonard all wiry and long by comparison. While Leonard appears laid-back and almost serene, Jimmy Ray looks ready to explode, like steam is going to start shooting from his ears at any moment. The sweat is bubbled viciously across his forehead, his trunks the now familiar Alliance colours of black, red and white. Leonard's are white with thin red piping, his surname stenciled around the waistband in red.
Referee Freddie Hernandez calls the two combatants to the centre of the ring and Leonard is smiling at Ray, who clearly doesn't appreciate what he takes as a sign of disrespect. Ray spits a couple of words Leonard's way before Hernandez steps in, telling the two to return to their corners...
ROUND ONE
The crowd are on the edge of their seats by the time the opening bell sounds and as the round progresses it's clear that this fight is a matchup of two of the most defensively able fighters in the IBL. Both are showing promising aggression, unloading lightning-fast combinations and probing with flicking jabs, but most of their shots miss. It's truly akin to one of those fights in a martial arts movie where each combatant can't land a telling blow. James Ray appears to have the better of the early going but Leonard lands the biggest punch of the round, a hard right that snaps Ray's head around and brings applause from the audience fifteen seconds before the bell.
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Some in the crowd are a bit restless, perhaps expecting a more explosive start. Personally, I thought it was a fascinating opening round. It's clear that both men are aware of each other's abilities, aware that one mistake could see them on their backsides on the canvas. If this fight remains a chess match, I'm all for it. I'll have to give that opening round to the Florida native because, even though Leonard connected with that big right hand, Ray was the busier of the two to that point.
Roman's scorecard for Round One: James Ray 10-9
Punch Totals, Round One
James Ray: 12/78 (.154)
Ray Leonard: 9/31 (.290)
ROUND TWO
Leonard steps up his aggression in the 2nd frame, catching Ray with a solid left-right salvo early in the round. But the defensive prowess of James Ray has a bunch of boxing experts at ringside mouths agape. His ability to slip Leonard's punches, to parry and roll with them, in addition to his footwork, is magnificent. One of Leonard's strengths during his amateur career was his punching accuracy. His hand speed won him a bunch of fights but he's surely never come up against anyone who has been able to avoid his offensive overtures with such ease.
The Florida Alliance member sticks a hard left jab in Leonard's face midway through the round, the punch backing up the Olympic Champion. Ray looks fantastic, moving forward with confidence and now he tags Leonard with a blinding flurry that has the crowd on their feet as round two draws to an end. James Ray thumps his chest and shouts as he moves back to his corner.
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It would be true to say that, to date, neither the HBF or IBL has held a bout featuring two fighters of such high talent. I can only wonder what these two will do when they come up against a lesser level of opposition, but against each other they are showing what it will take to emerge as a World Champion. I'm going to give that 2nd round to James Ray, also. Leonard may have increased his aggression but Ray maintained his. He also made the Maryland native look incapable of landing a punch for much of the round.
Some time ago Florida Alliance leader Elmer Ray said that James Ray is the most talented of the entire entourage. Tonight he's showing that those words have a distinctly truthful ring about them. Elmer, Terone and the other members of the entourage have been very vocal with their encouragement at ringside and they stood and applauded with the round's completion.
Roman's scorecard for Round Two: James Ray 10-9
Roman's scorecard after Round Two: James Ray 20-18
Punch Totals, Round Two
James Ray: 17/69 (.246)
Ray Leonard: 8/76 (.105)
Punch Totals after Round Two
James Ray: 29/147 (.197)
Ray Leonard: 17/107 (.159)
(to be continued!!!)
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