Chris Billam-Smith had to survive everything Ryan Rozicki could throw at him, from non-stop power punches to reckless headbutts, to score a seventh-round stoppage in Saturday’s Zuffa Boxing 07 main event. The dramatic battle thrust itself into the Fight of the Year conversation as the midway point of the year approaches.Rozicki was relentless from the opening bell, as expected for a fighter of his style. That non-stop assault included some dirty tactics from Rozicki, who threw his head around with ill intent. In fact, it was only a minute into the second round when Rozicki, already bloodied from clean right hands landed by Billam-Smith, was deducted a point for repeated intentional headbutts.Rozicki’s style was such that he largely did not care about defense, which allowed Billam-Smith to crack with overhand rights and a sharp uppercut that seemed to briefly have Rozicki out on his feet in the early rounds.Rather than go down, Rozicki went right back to his same tactics of marching forward, getting in Billam-Smith’s face and winging power shots to the head and body.
Billam-Smith was doing the better work, but Rozicki continued to push forward and Billam-Smith appeared as though the pace was beginning to wear on him by the end of the fifth round.
WHAT IS RYAN ROZICKI”S CHIN MADE OF 😳 🥊#ZuffaBoxing07 | LIVE NOW | @SkySports + @ParamountPlus 📺 pic.twitter.com/wMyQInmAXM
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