Toe-To-Toe Tuesdays: Prelims Results Recap

Ashley Theophane (40-8-1) vs. Shoki Sakai (22-7-1)

(Welterweight Bout – 8 Rounds)

Sakai took Round 1 easy simply by being first and landing a few stiff and straight punches right down the middle. A pattern that would be the theme of this match.

Theophane got himself back in business by bending at the waist and working the body in Round 2. He also mixed in some combinations and in the following round implemented a double jab. Theophane let his hands go in rounds 4 and 5. He started being first, he used his jab, and put together combinations but Sakai was right there in the pocket giving as good as he got. At times he nearly doubled the punch output of his opponent. The Mexico City native managed to counter very well making the Brit slip away with great upper body movement but respect Sakai too much. Theophane worked the body and never let up his attack as the second round of the fight carried on however, it rarely slowed Shoki from coming on strong. Ashley landed some left hooks to the head of Sakai and a good jab yet couldn’t put more together than that.

Going into Round 5, Sakai started to move backwards ‎before coming forward. Almost as if he needed to reset each time he threw some shots but it worked. That split second of thinking put the London native in a box; Sakai hit him with his overhand right or jab to the body as he banked the round as well as the 6th with the cleaner blows. Sakai’s timing as well as his rhythm was hard for Theophane to figure out going down the stretch. It was very Sam Solimanesque. Sakai never really set his feet to get the most pop out of his overhand shots and was moving out of the pocket at times before fully extending the shot but it landed and it worked as he took the closing rounds.

RESULTS: Shoki Sakai defeats Ashley Theophane via unanimous decision. Scores of 80-72, 78-74 and 79-73.

Cameron Krael (12-12-2) vs. Greg Jackson (7-4-1)

(Welterweight Bout – 6 Rounds)

The second match of the evening featured 147ers in Krael and Jackson. Right out of the gate it was a cat-and-mouse type match as Krael walked his man down as soon as the first bell sounded until the final one sounded.

He leaned, double stepped and cut every angle to find the right opening on his man using looping uppercuts and powerful hooks. ‎Jackson turned, slipped an side-stepped his way out of harms way for the most part but did not do himself any favors backing up into a corner or along the ropes. Not until the final seconds of Round 1 when he backed himself up along the ropes did he let his man catch him with a clean combo. Not enough to steal the stanza. In Round 2 , Jackson moved backwards allot behind his jab He then planted his feet and shoe shined his foe with 5 unanswered punches. Nonetheless, Krael made it a point to practically run at him and fire away with overhand rights and looping hooks. For Round 3 ‘Suave’ Krael marched on with a hard right hand and a harder left hook to his opponent’s body. The Las Vegas resident’s best success came past the halfway mark of Round 3 as he put together some 3 punch combinations on Jackson.
‎Jackson wouldn’t go quietly as he returned fire with his own combinations in that round and the 4th round. As much as his back was along the ropes he had a tight defensive guard and switched stances to confuse his man but did not control the ring whatsoever.

Going from southpaw to conventional then snapping a crisp jab that stopped Krael dead in his tracks was his best moment but it never happened more than every few minutes. On the other hand Krael landed some great body shots to close out Round 4 , giving him the round.

‎Going into Round 5 Jackson became very flat footed letting Krael walk him down and rip away at the body and head. The New Jersey native’s hands were dangerously low and his footwork was now suffering from his visible fatigue. Krael landed big to the head and body easily taking the round. Heading into the 6th and final round Jackson stepped back, slid and jabbed away as Krael kept moving forward landing 1-2s to the body and the head. Krael’s superoir conditioning was a significant factor as he raked his man with left hooks to the body and then up top as the round came to a close.

RESULTS: Cameron ‘Suave’ Krael defeats Greg Jackson via unanimous decision. Scores of 59-55, 60-54 and 58-56.

‎Ahmed Mahmood (7-0) vs. Alberto Mora (11-7)

(Featherweight Bout – 6 Rounds)

Ahmed and Mora kicked things off from Sam’s Town Live arena inside the Sam’s Town casino in Las Vegas ‎. For the first round Mora led with the bigger punches and work to the body as Mahmood opted to stay flat and counter. However, when he did launch a straight left hand it landed cleanly. A pair of exchanges in Round 2 saw Mahmood land some mean 1-2 combinations, visibly rocking his. Man as Ahmed’s corner exploded each time begging the Michigan native to follow up. Going into Round 3 Mora marched forward with little respect for his foe’s counter hooks. The right one was landing at will for Mahmood and Mora retaliated with a couple of his own that strayed low prompting referee Tony Weeks to call time. Once the action resumed Mora continued working the body as Ahmed whipped away with his 1-2 combination.

Round 4 had Mora operating behind the left hook, leaning in and launching it with power. Mahmood covered up, then fire back with his 1-2 combo. Mahmood closed the round srong by throwing a right hook upstairs then sliding across to his man’s left side and cracking him with a vicious left hook that snapped Alberto’s head back. Round 5 was all Mora coming forward looking to land on his man, chasing him from every corner of the ring so much so that when he landed a clean hook in the middle of the round half of the power was taken off of it since he was so off balance. Going into Round 6 Mahmood did his best work since Round 4, coming forward and landing his 1-2, right uppercuts and counter hooks at close range. He was shaking out his right hand for a second after landing an uppercut, but didn’t stop throwing the punch. The two traded some heat along the ropes as the round and match came to an end.

RESULTS: ‎Ahmed Mahmood remains unbeaten defeating Alberto Mora via unanimous decision. Scores of 58-56, 59-55 and 59-55.