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#7 "Fast" Eddie Chambers (34-1) takes on #9 Alexander "Sascha" Dimitrenko (29-0) today in Germany. Chambers gives up around 30 pounds and 6 inches of height, but is a skilled boxer and is in very good shape for the bout. Dimitrenko moves very well for a man his size and has decent skills himself. The winner will be in line to face Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO title. Dimitrenko is a solid favorite to win the fight.
Eddie Chambers has just entered the ring. Dimitrenko is being announced. Crowd in Germany is quite pro-Dimitrenko. Eddie is wearing a dark sweatsuit and looks fairly loose as the Star-spangled banner plays. Dimitrenko appears confident and looks imposing.
- Round One: Chambers using a lot of head movement to avoid Sascha's jabs...fighters feeling each other out with jabs; Chambers lunging in to deliver his. Chambers delivers a combo, Dimitrenko covers up against the ropes. Fight looks very different from Klitschko-Chagaev. Close round. Chambers 10-9.
- Round Two: Chambers pushing the action, forcing Dimi to clinch. Sascha's jab is working better, he's starting to throw it more forcefully. The hheight advantage is not nearly as apparent as in the Klit-Chag fight. Dimitrenko 10-9. Total: 19-19.
- Round Three: More tactical jabbing, clinching. Chambers is still the stalker in the fight. Dimitrenko connecting with jabs, a few rights. Long clinch with a minute left. Dimitrenko keeping Eddie at bay this round. Dimitrenko 10-9. Total 29-28.
- Round Four: Eddie still trying to be the agressor, Dimitrenko covering on his jabs. Chambers covers too with peekaboo style. Dimitrenko striking at end of round, Chambers answers. Good action, tough round to call, crowd felt Dimitrenko did well. 10-10. Total: Dimitrenko 39-38.
- Round Five: Eddie may be falling into habit of staying at Dimitrenko's jab range. When Chambers counters with anything Sascha is clinching. Low blow warning for Chambers, delay in action with one minute left. Dimitrenko starting to dance around, keeping guard lower, jabbing. Good exchanges with 20 seconds left. Both fighters claiming the round. Chambers 10-9. Total 48-48.
- Round Six: Chambers might not be active enough to win these rounds. For every three Dimitrenko jabs he counters, and Dimitrenko is keeping his distance. Chambers did have an excellent uppercut against the ropes. Dimitrenko 10-9, Total: 58-57.
- Round Seven:Dimitrenko is taking a standing eight count after a punch I didn't see. Maybe a body blow in a combination. He didn't go down but Chambers dominated the round and something is bothering Sascha. Chambers 10-8. Total 67-66 Chambers.
- Round Eight: The crowd is very quiet now as the complexion of the fight is changed. Dimitrenko is almost on the run, Chambers feels confident. Dimitrenko is fighting differently. Chambers backs him into the corner, Sascha's jabs not as snappy. Chambers wants to scrap, Dimitrenko has a few good counters. Chambers 10-9. Total 77-75 Chambers.
- Round Nine: Chambers smells a possible win but will the German judges give it to him? He may need another knockdown. He's stalking and pushing the action for sure, totally unlike the Povetkin fight. Dimitrenko is not giving up easily, still using his reach to score and keep Eddie at bay. He looks stronger this round, whatever was bothering him is doing so less now. He scores on a combo with 1 minute left. Dimitrenko 10-9, Total: 86-85 Chambers.
- Round Ten: Chambers' corner imploring him to finish strong, don't let Dimi steal rounds: "this is Germany." Eddie comes out pressing action again. Chambers not unloading much though. At halfway through the round he tagged Dimi and knocked him on his ass.No damage though, but a knockdown that might win him the fight. Dimitrenko trying to wrestle him in close as Chambers goes for the kill. Separated with 10 seconds left. Chambers 10-8. Total 96-93.
- Round Eleven: Less action in first minute of this round, but both fighters moving a lot. Dimitrenko trying to make a stand. A good showing the final two rounds might salvage a tie with the judges, a knockdown could still give him the win. Chambers need to win the last two rounds to seal the deal. Dimitrenko landed more shots near the end. Dimitrenko 10-9. Total 105-103 Chambers.
- Round Twelve: Both fighters need this round. Both look tired. Dimitrenko throws a wild hook, clinches Chambers who punches his way out. Chambers has him against the ropes and unloads. Chambers has guard down as they move to the center. Dimitrenko tries to salvage the round, raises his arms at the end in victory, as does Chambers. Chambers 10-9. Total 115-112 Chambers.
By rights Chambers should win the decision, but it's anyone's fight since it's in Germany. Chambers had two knockdowns, although neither was impressive or damaging. I don't know if the fight is being scored for mandatory 10-8 rounds for a knockdown, but if it is, it will be hard to justify a Dimitrenko win.
The judges: first judge calls a draw. Other two judges call it for Chambers. He has defeated Alexander Dimitrenko 116-111 117-109 113-113, handing him his first loss. I tried to score the bout conservatively with the German judges in mind, but in two of the three cases I was too conservative. The judge who saw a draw gave Dimitrenko every benefit of the doubt, and/or discounted the knockdowns completely.
An impressive win for Chambers, and a confounding loss for Dimitrenko, who was not able to use his size advantage nearly effectively as Wladimir Klitschko, and now has some questions about his chin as he was in trouble twice against the not-so-hard-hitting Chambers. But Chambers answered some questions about his stamina, coming in in the best shape of his career and performing accordingly.
Thanks for the recap. I wasn't able to see this live, but reading that Dimitrenko (In my mind, still in line to be the next Wladimir with this poor showing) was knocked down twice by Chambers, and lost in Germany of all places, I was pretty stunned.
Posted by: J | July 04, 2009 at 09:28 PM
you're welcome J...technically Dimitrenko didn't quite get knocked down either time. The first time he was against the ropes and sort of turned his back in pain (he claimed a kidney punch, which I didn't see), and the second time he got knocked into a full squat with his butt touching the canvas, and got out of it quickly. Both were standing eights and both were valid imho. Dimitrenko has some work to do on his chin and on his overall fight gameplanning, but he's young.
Posted by: SportsRatings | July 07, 2009 at 09:53 PM