I've just been watching tonight's friday fight night, and a FOTY contender in which almost everybody was picking Moore to put a nail in the coffin of Ryan Rhodes' career.
Having seen Rhodes fight over recent years, I was expecting Moore to track him down as ducked and dived and circled the ropes trying not to get caught. Had he taken that, and fought in the manner he has over recent years, then he would have been caught late on in the fight, or lost on the cards.
However, Rhodes bucked that trend, and decided to stand and trade with Mooresy, which looked to be a big mistake early on in the fight. However, from round 4 onwards Rhodes really executed a wonderful turnaround, going from being caught fairly often, to standing and dodging, and throwing as many shots as he could back at Moore. It was, in fairness, a wonderful tactical move, and although they were both landing shots in a hugely entertaining fight, Rhodes started landing bigger and more often. It was sensational stuff to watch, and I found myself cheering Moore on from the sofa, but equally being impressed by Rhodes.
When the seventh round came about, Rhodes was on a high, seemed to have rattled Moore, who came back swinging and seemed to have landed a few choice punches of his own. A right hand early in the round saw Moore pushed back, and after a second goes down. A peach of a shot, but Moore seemed to take it well, coming to a kneeling position on 4, and standing up on 8. Once again, Moore came back landing a few peach shots onto Rhodes' chin, and after about a minute, he seems to have recovered. Another shot sends him reeling to the ropes, and Rhodes leaps in for the finish, picking shots, mixing hooks, straight shots and uppercuts.
I really saw a different side of Rhodes tonight. Whilst before I've slated him for his elusive style, looking to box from a distance and eke out the rounds. Hopefully, this is him turning a corner, and more entertaining wins like this can only lead to a third world title shot for Rhodes.
Moore was magnanimous in defeat, admitting the better man won, and deflecting queries about weight problems saying that it was Rhodes' night and now was not the time.
Moore's courage in the fight, and attitude post-fight was exemplary, and I hope he can make a comeback at middleweight, but Rhodes has a new fan if he can continue with this new attacking entertaining style.
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