[mikehoudini]

Vassiliy Jirov vs. Oleg Mashaev – Jirov had barely won a split decision over Larry Donald, while Mashaev had TKOd Charlie Retzlaff in a the 4^th in a crowd-pleasing bout. The two warriors from Kazakhstan were set to meet for bragging rights! Infinity figured Jirov would win in a cakewalk!

From the opening bell, this was a donnybrook. Jirov landed more punches in the 1^st, 30-24, but Oleg landed the heavier shots, an uppercut, combination and hook, and he seemed to take the round, 14-11.

Mashaev built a 10-6 lead at the 2 minute mark in the 2^nd, helped by a hard hook, but then Jirov rallied with a series of punches, swarming allmover Oleg and taking the round, 15-10, and Mashaev’s right eye was swelling up quite a bit, to boot. Me: 19-19.

After a slow opening minute in the 3^rd, Jirov asserted himself, a searing straight right seemingly dazing Mashaev. He poured it on, worsening the swelling on Oleg’s eye, so it was beginning to look bad, pounding out a 19-6 round. Infinity was smiling. 29-28 Jirov

Jirov opened the 4^th with a booming hook, and seemed poised to dominate the fight. He rushed inside and ran straight into a dynamite shot, crashing to the canvas! He was up at the count of 7, wobbly, and covered up to prevent more damage. Mashaev nearly floored him again with a freight train right, and coasted to a 16-6 round. If it wasn’t before, the battle was now joined! 38-37 Mashaev

They went after each other in the 5^th, Oleg opening with a straight right, Jirov answering with a sharp uppercut and some excellent, albeit illegal, kidney work. The pace slowed, as Oleg picked his shots, landing a bunch of uppercuts and a jolting right. Jirov was frustrated, and could generate no offense of his own, losing the round, 16-6. 48-46 Mashaev

Vassiliy looked tired coming out for the 6^th, and a distraught Infinity watched as Mashaev tagged him with a smoking uppercut. Dazed, he lashed out with a laser left and caught Oleg clean on the chin, and now Mashaev was in trouble! Jirov threw a hard left over the ducking Mashaev, who then fired a wild overhand right that landed flush on Jirov’s jaw, and he was down again! He jumped up at the count of 3, only to be pasted by a series of blows, ending with two sizzling combinations. The last one was too much, and he dropped again, as the bell rang. He hopped up at the count of 1, having lost decisively, 27-7, and now his right eye was swelling worse than Mashaev’s! 58-54 Mashaev

There was no quit on Jirov, and he brought his fans to their feet with his efforts. Oleg landed early with a combination and thundering hook, but then Jirov went toe-to-toe giving as good as he got. It was a dubious strategy, as, while he landed more frequently, Mashaev’s shots carried more firepower. Oleg won the round on my card, 15-10, and now Jirov’s left eye was swelling quite a bit! 68-63 Mashaev

A desperate Jirov fought a brilliant 1^st minute in the 8^th. He landed a combination and nasty uppercut, and seemed to have Mashaev on the ropes! Oleg, his eye getting half-shut, landed a searing uppercut to slow the flow, but Jirov kept landing, taking a needed round, 15-9! 77-73 Mashaev

Jirov rushed out for the 9^th, right into a cross that bloodied his nose! He backed away for a minute, then signaled to Mashaev to bring it on! Oleg did. He worsened the bloody nose with a combination, then battered away at Jirov, landing 41 times in all in a 22-4 round! Now Jirov’s right eye was half-shut, and his left wasn’t too much better! 87-82 Mashaev

Jirov stunned the crowd, not to mention Mashaev, with a ferocious uppercut to start the 10^th! Throwing caution to the winds, he charged after his foe. Caution fled elsewhere, but not Oleg, who nailed him with a crisp uppercut, scoring a 4 count KD! Jirov was wobbly, and a Mashaev uppercut, seeming a déjà vu, sent him down for another 4 count! His eye was over half-closed as Mashaev landed a hard left hook to the body, a wicked right hook to the head, all the while appealing to the ref, who turned a blind eye. Mashaev shrugged, then threw a lightning combination that sent a gallant Jirov head-over-hills as the bell sounded. Jirov was saved by the bell, and it took him several minutes to get back on his feet after absorbing a 39-5 shellacking. Me: 97-88 Mashaev

Indeed, the announcer had to wait for him to get vertical before announcing the decision, a 97-87, 96-88 & 97-87 unanimous decision for..Oleg Mashaev! Jirov had had his moments but, starting with the 4^th round KD, Oleg had turned the tide in this fight. Jirov had taken an unbelievable amount of punishment. Scoring 6 KDs, Mashaev had put on an impressive performance. Bear gulped nervously at the prospect of his man taking him on next!

The two fighters hugged in a great show of sportsmanship. Mashaev, who had outlanded his game foe 276-232, promised a rematch. Jirov replied that he wasn’t sure he wanted one!