Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
Nelson doesn’t get close to the stoppage in the final round, despite being roared on all the way by trainer Brian ‘BoMac‘ McIntyre.
We go to the judges’ scorecards…. 99-91 x2 and 100-90, all in favour of Nelson.
Never in doubt as he stays unbeaten and moves to 19-0, though he will be disappointed not to have got an overmatched late replacement opponent out of there.
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
Into the final round we go!
Nelson is absolutely dominating this fight, but he will want that late knockout.
Montgomery is just looking to hang on now for the final bell and something of a moral victory, having only taken this fight on nine days’ notice.
He’s just eaten a massive shot midway through the 10th…
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
Montgomery is down on the canvas in the eighth, but that was a push rather than a punch.
But he’s under heavy pressure once more, trapped against the ropes as Nelson lets the big punches fly.
Crawford’s long-time sparring partner is edging towards a comfortable points win here, but he will be disappointed if he doesn’t pull out another stoppage.
He’s got two rounds left to achieve it…
Stephen Espinoza on Eminem rumours: ‘I would not miss the ring walks’
Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza did little to quell those rumours about Eminem ring walking with Terence Crawford tonight.
“I’m terrible, I know my responses give me away,” he grinned.
“I’ve heard the same rumours and I’m sworn to secrecy. But I would not miss the ring walks.”
We’re betting that Spence also has something spectacular in his locker to counteract such a potentially big pull from Crawford.
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
The sixth was the best round of this fight by far, great action and increased tempo.
Nelson was piling on more pressure before Montgomery went for broke with a punishing flurry, having landed little of substance otherwise all night.
However, he rather looked to have punched himself out as Nelson replied in kind, landing a couple of solid rights upstairs.
The pace then drops notably in the seventh.
Montgomery’s face is getting messy, red all over with blood now trickling down over the eye.
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
Halfway through this scheduled 10-rounder at super-middleweight, with all one-way traffic as Nelson continues to dominate Montgomery.
However, he’s having trouble getting the big shots off and hasn’t come close to a stoppage just yet.
Now Montgomery puts Nelson under pressure early in round six!
Nelson comes roaring back with a lovely right hand. This is bubbling up nicely.
Eminem set to ring walk with Terence Crawford?
It sounds like the ring walks for tonight’s main event are going to be potentially as spectacular as the fight itself.
There are strong suggestions that Eminem could accompany Crawford to the ring following a positive Instagram exchange between the pair earlier this week.
During a chat with Shakur Stevenson posted to social media, when asked who would be walking him out, Crawford replied: “S***, I don’t know man.
“You know what I was thinking would be crazy s***? I think it would be dope to have Eminem walk me out or something like that.
“He’s never walked nobody out, huh?”
Stevenson replied: “I ain’t gonna lie, Eminem’s a GOAT. I ain’t never seen him walking nobody out in a boxing ring.”
Crawford then said: “Yeah, I ain’t neither, that’d be dope.”
Stevenson finished with: “That’d be fire, that’d be different levels, next level. Two GOATs.”
Eminem saw that video and replied, telling Crawford: “This is too crazy!!! You are one of my favourite boxers right now!”
Crawford later replied: “Pull up Em! Lets do some legendary s***.”
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
Montgomery isn’t disgracing himself by any means after taking this fight at pretty much a week’s notice, giving the best account of himself in the third.
But Nelson is dominating proceedings, boxing well behind a thudding left jab.
He’s throwing out plenty of them to both body and head and looking to detonate a big overhand right, which when it lands is going to cause some major trouble.
Steven Nelson vs Rowdy Montgomery
The early undercard action continues at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
In the ring now are Steven Nelson and the brilliantly-named Rowdy Legend Montgomery.
This is a 10-rounder in the super-middleweight division, with Nelson a big favourite against late replacement opponent Montgomery.
35-year-old Nelson, a long-time training partner of Terence Crawford in Omaha, is looking to stay unbeaten and move to 19-0.
Spence vs Crawford rematch clause
Spence-Crawford has a two-way rematch clause to be activated within 30 days, so we are almost guaranteed to see it again regardless of tonight’s result.
But a key stipulation is that the winner of the first fight will determine at what weight the rematch is contested at.
That could be significant as the naturally bigger Spence has been talking a lot about this being his last fight at 147 pounds as he eyes a move up to 154 and light-middleweight.
“I would want it at 154,” Spence said. “I’ve outgrown 147.”
He told Boxing Scene this week of his struggle to continue to make the welterweight limit: “It’s been kinda hard, but I’ve got a nutritionist and a dietician to make sure I’m eating the right foods and make sure I’m good. But it’s definitely hard. It’s definitely a struggle.
“It’s always hard, but yeah, this is the last time, definitely. I’m a lot older. I’m not as young as I used to be, so you know, you can’t be putting your body through that much to fight.”
Would Crawford be content to move up to 154? How would Spence react if Crawford wins and therefore chooses the rematch to happen again at 147? It’s certainly an interesting subplot.
