Round by Round: Wayne Braithwaite vs. Jean Marc Mormeck.

Round one: Braithwaite starts off the round in a right-handed stance using a pawing jab and lateral movement to get into position. Strong hooks and crosses land by “Big Truck” to Mormeck’s body. The Frenchman covers up and moves away, occasionally having success with counter right hands

to the head. Mormeck moves in and catches Braithwaite on the ropes, raking him with hooks to the head. “Big Truck” comes back with shots to both the head and body; the round ends with both men firing.

10-9 Braithwaite.

Round two: Braithwaite starts the round from his natural southpaw stance working behind a pawing jab and having some success landing hooks to Mormeck’s body with both hands. Mormeck, pressing forward with both hands held high, catches “Big Truck” with a left hand to the head followed by a right hand, followed by a right uppercut to the chin and another left hook followed by a short right hand. Braithwaite is hurt and immediately clinches. “Big Truck” switches to a right hand stance, dances away, and catches a big right hand. Braithwaite switches back to left handed and tries to keep Mormeck outside with a pawing jab, the round comes to an end.

10-9 Mormeck.

Round three: “Big Truck” starts the round off right handed using a stiff jab as Mormeck continues to work his body. The right hand to the body from Mormeck is finding its mark on a more regular basis. Braithwaite switches to his natural left-handed stance and starts working the Frenchman’s body with thudding shots. “Big Truck”, using a lot more lateral movement, sticks the jab out trying to hold off the Frenchman. Mormeck continues to stalk and lands a solid overhand right on Braithwaite. “Big Truck” quickly switches to a conventional stance and does good work with both hands to the body. Mormeck counters Braithwaite’s body attack with two solid right hands to the head. Both men exchange on equal terms in the last thirty seconds of the round.

10-10 even.

Round four: Both men come out in their natural stance. Braithwaite continues to use a pawing jab to try and control the action. Mormeck is covering up looking for chances to counter. A pair of right hands land for Mormeck, but Braithwaite is able to land to the body and use lateral movement well to avoid the incoming. Mormeck continues to stalk and gets “Big Truck” on the ropes with under a minute left in the round and releases a two fisted attack to the body with the occasional uppercut to the chin. Braithwaite’s activity level drops and he starts to move away. The round comes to an end.

10-9 Mormeck.

Round five: Both men come out in their natural stance. The Frenchman continues to try to get into his opponents body as Braithwaite tries to keep him on the outside with jabs and body punches. Mormeck wades in throwing hooks to the body and head with success. “Big Truck” looks stunned and holds on. Mormeck keeps the pressure on him and continues to work the ribcage. Braithwaite looks tired and weary as he tries to keep Mormeck off him with body shots. Mormeck traps him on the ropes and lets his hands go to the body followed by sharp uppercuts to the head that are landing. Braithwaite tries “pitter patter” punches to no avail as Mormeck continues to crowd him, working the body, and snap his head back with straight punches. The round ends.

10-9 Mormeck.

Round six: Braithwaite opens the round by jabbing as Mormeck walks in and connects with hooks to the head. He does not seem to respect “Big Trucks” power as he just continues to walk in and work the body. Braithwaite is stunned by a right uppercut.He backs up and starts firing bombs to the body of Mormeck. The Frenchman continues to stalk him as Braithwaite backs away. “Big Truck” does well in the last twenty seconds of the round, but not enough to steal it.

10-9 Mormeck.

Round seven: “Big Truck” comes out with a little more activity working the body from an orthodox stance. He lands some excellent combinations from the head to the body with both hands. Mormeck continues to walk straight in and lands some bombs to the head and body. A HUGE right hand behind the ear sends “Big Truck” down to the canvas. He gets up quickly, but seems very hurt. Mormeck comes in and lands three straight right hands, sending Braithwaite stumbling round the ring. “Big Truck” is still hurt and starts to hold Mormeck. He gets caught on the ropes and Mormeck just works him over. The rounds finishes and Braithwaite wobbles back to his corner.

10-8 Mormeck.

Round eight: “Big Truck” comes out using the ring as Mormeck continues to stalk him. Both fighters exchange punches with Braithwaite going to the body and Mormeck going to the head. Three straight right hands land for Mormeck sending “Big Truck” into a full retreat. Braithwaite stems the tide with a solid four punch combinations, he continues the momentum by going to the body. “Big Truck” had been warned for excessive holding before and a point is taken away because he continues to hold. Pinned against the ropes, with twenty-five seconds left, Braithwaite gets in some solid hooks and crosses to steal the round.

9-9 Braithwaite (wins, but -1 for holding).

Round nine: Braithwaite has a cut over his left eye that is ruled to have been caused by a head butt in the last round. Both fighters circle the center of the ring. Mormeck hurts Braithwaite with hooks from both hands. “Big Truck” comes back with a three-punch combination to stem the tide. The Frenchman takes the shots well and continues to wade in and work the body. Braithwaite moves away as Mormeck continues to stalk him. He uses lateral movement and continues to work the body with both hands ending the round in solid fashion.

10-9 Braithwaite.

Round ten: Both men come out in their natural stance. “Big Truck” continues to use a pawing jab to try and keep Mormeck on the outside. The Frenchman lands a big one two combination which stuns Braithwaite. Braithwaite becomes the aggressor as Mormeck begins to back away. Mormeck is trapped against the ropes and Braithwaite lands a big three-punch combination to the body. Mormeck comes back with a counter round hand to get “Big Truck” off of him. Braithwaite continues to move in and work the Frenchman’s body. Braithwaite, using a solid right hand jab lands another solid left hand with forty-five seconds left in the round. He maintains control of the action with a steady jab, solid bodywork and excellent movement. Mormeck lands two clubbing right hands with less than fifteen seconds in the round, but it is not enough to steal it.

10-9 Braithwaite.

Round eleven: Braithwaite, now the aggressor, advances forward as Mormeck seems tired and is moving back. “Big Truck” working out of the right hand stance, starts popping solid jabs. Mormeck, now imploring more boxing, uses his jab well as Braithwaite tries to land something big. Mormeck starts landing jabs at will followed by one two combinations. He blocks a lot of the incoming artillery with his gloves and elbows. Mormeck lands two stiff jabs with about thirty seconds left in the round. Braithwaite continues to stalk the Frenchman trying to land something big, but Mormeck controls the rest of the round with his jab.

10-9 Mormeck.

Round twelve: Braithwaite comes out and continues to stalk Mormeck trying to land a big left hand. The Frenchman, using a very stiff jab, moves around and controls the distance. “BigTruck” continues to try and get inside, but cannot seem to get past that stiff jab. Mormeck blocks the headshots with his gloves and lands three straight right hands that rock Braithwaite. The jab continues to be the story of the round for Mormeck. Braithwaite is game but out gunned…Mormeck closes the round by landing the occasional right hand and using movement to keep Braithwaite off him.

10-9 Mormeck.

My score: 116 to 111 in favor of Jean-Marc Mormeck.

Official scores were 114-112, 115-111 and 116-110, all in favor of the winner and unified WBA-WBC cruiserweight champion of the world, Jean Marc Mormeck.

Sergio Martinez can be reached at srg_mrtnz@yahoo.com