Colin Lynes loses European title to Gianluca Branco

[superheavyrhun]

was it counted as a KD

Yup, ref gave Branco the 8count, despite Branco spending most of the count pointing to the back of his head.

[med]

Will this go 10 rds or more, has either been hurt ?

[superheavyrhun]

OK, at the end of the 7th now, and the last was a cracker. The sixth was pretty dull, with Lynes boxing well, landing jabs, and the occasional straight shots, but a few decent shots from Branco might have given the judges cause to score it ot the home fighter. The 7th was stunning, Lynes working very well, jabbing and flurrying nicely for two minutes, but a huge Branco flurry has Lynes reeling on the ropes, and he clings on to save his skin there. The deciding factor here could be the home judges, cause it's pretty nip and tuck here. Good first half of the 8th for Branco.

After 7, 68-65 Lynes.

[superheavyrhun]

Branco was landing well in the 8th, but Lynes has been consistently boxing well, and landing much more shots, though without the power of Branco. Going into the last quarter, I have Lynes 87-84, but the commentators have it much closer than that, as Lynes isn't coming forward. If this was anywhere but Italy, this would be convincingly for Lynes, but here....who knows. Branco landed 4 shots last round, against Lynes 20+, yet still the commentators give it to Branco??!??!?

[superheavyrhun]

OK, one round to go now, and Lynes seems to have looked to go more toe-to-toe with Branco. In the tenth he landed some very good shots, and rattled Branco, but I don't think he's got the power to stop him. Branco definitely the stronger, and showed it in the eleventh, outmuscling Lynes. He should box!

106-103 to Lynes on mine, but who knows.

[superheavyrhun]

Branco has a great flurry for the first minute of the round, but he tires, and Lynes doesn't capitalise. He pretty much runs around Branco until the bell, and that's Branco's round.

115-113 to Lynes for me, and that's giving Branco a fair bit of credit for a few of the rounds which were pretty close, but it's in Italy, so if it goes the other way, then I'd be not at all surprised.

[superheavyrhun]

Both fighters give the crowd a round of applause as they await the scores. The commentators have Branco by a round and a draw respectively, but here they come.

Split Decision. 115-113 Lynes; 114-113 Branco; 114-113 Branco.

Very close fight, and Lynes has every right to be aggrieved, but he knew what he was taking on going to Italy. Johnny Nelson doesn't look too impressed in the studio.