MAYWEATHER WINS BY TKO 8

January 22, 2005 - by Anne Vitello

ROUND 1
Pretty Boy sets the pace: He steadily works his way around Bruseles, poking the jab in regularly. Bruseles gathers himself and plows into Floyd with a couple of body shots. Mayweather sets up the right and delivers it: clean shot upstairs on the side of Bruseles' head. Later Floyd doubles up on the left, hooking off his jab. Bruseles is looking eager, determined, and getting a few punches in. A brisk round with Mayweather coming out ahead.

ROUND 2
Lots of single punch exchanges at arms-length. Mayweather is working his speed advantage, with both punches and defensive maneuvering. Bruseles is coming to Floyd, but not pressuring. Therefore, it looks like Mayweather gets to set the pace & rhythm. Phone booth action seems to favor Bruseles. But most of the action is at the end of the fighters' reach. Though not coming up with a great game plan, Bruseles is rising to the occasion and clearly not afraid of Floyd. Mayweather is landing more effectively, and seems to be just warming up.

ROUND 3
Floyd gets in a penetrating left hook then flits out of range. It's a repeat pattern, sticking and moving his way to dominance. Bruseles shows some frustration, lunging after Mayweather; Floyd's evasive maneuvers are not popular with the crowd as he dodges and deflects the charge. Bruseles stays busy and he does occasionally catch Floyd. He bounces a few short punches off Mayweather's torso in the odd moment when he manages to trap Pretty Boy on the ropes. No harm done, however.

ROUND 4
Tangling shoulder-to-shoulder in the middle of the ring, the boxers exchange a few short, largely deflected hooks. Floyd gets a warning about his use of his elbow, in shoving Bruseles out to a more comfortable distance. There's a hard straight right from Floyd, followed by a few more, and then the most significant punch so far: a hook to the head. Bruseles is still in there, but he's on the receiving end of quite a few punches. This is an interesting change of strategy. Though Floyd was doing fine while dancing along the outside, when he decides to stand and fight, he gets even better results.

ROUND 5
Floyd is looking relaxed, and he is bearing down on Bruseles, picking up where he left off last round - with a focus on power shots. Classic slugging action in the center of the ring! Bruseles is as game as a fighter could be, and he swings away to the best of his ability. But Floyd is masterful in his counterpunching, and when he wants to go first he commands the pace as well. Bruseles is catching a lot of punches. But he keeps coming too. The final moment of the round is punctuated by a sharp uppercut (Floyd to Henry of course.

ROUND 6
Bruseles is as serious as a fighter can be, and he does keep coming. He walks straight in, and manages to land a few before Floyd retaliates. The balance of the fight, however, is gradually and consistently tipping more heavily in favor of Floyd Mayweather. Bruseles is making every effort possible, but Floyd is now hitting his stride. Pretty Boy lands at will, and makes Bruseles miss. A small cut or abrasion seems to be forming on Henry's forehead.

ROUND 7
Bruseles comes back for more. And Mayweather is happy to provide it. Bruseles barely gets a punch off before Floyd tees off with yet another in a series of crisp, quick combinations. At this pace, Mayweather will simply rack up round after round. For a minute or so, the boxers are again slumped against one another; perhaps catching their breath. At any rate, there were no distinguishing moments in this round, just more of the same: A game showing by Bruseles, and another round chalked up to Mayweather. The guy is just too good.

ROUND 8
At arms' length Floyd stretches in with a body shot, then a wide looping hook. Bruseles knows that he's got to come up with something. But every time he decides to force the matter, Floyd comes out a punch or two ahead. In a rare moment, it is Bruseles on the ropes. And in that moment, Floyd lands a fierce body shot that brings Bruseles down to one knee. Moments later Bruseles is down again - this time with an unrecoverable blow to the solar plexus. He signifies that he is ready to continue, but the ring doctor and Bruseles' own corner decide that discretion is the better part of valor this evening.

POST-FIGHT COMMENTS:
Looks like Floyd had a nice time for himself this evening. Bruseles was quite durable, but mostly made for an effective showcase for Mayweather's talents. Post-fight, Pretty Boy was relaxed, understandably confident and eager to make up for lost time in the ring. In addition to expressing his excitement about the possibility of fighting Arturo Gatti, and his eagerness to go up against more worthy talent such as Kostya Tzu, Floyd also named Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley (to meet at 147) as prospects whom he would be up for. As Roy Jones appropriately observed, Mayweather would be a decidedly "dumb" match-up for De La Hoya and Mosley, who would have everything to lose and nothing to gain by going up against this rising star. Pretty Boy declared that he would fight four times this year. So, no matter who is on his dance card, at least fight fans will be in for a fine talent show.