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SportsTranscript
00:00Well, this promises to be an excellent contest, one which I've been particularly looking forward
00:18to myself. Former trainer of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and father of former world
00:32amateur champion Hughie Fury, Peter Fury, ringside to see this contest as well. Friends
00:40with the Kraus family, so he has good support here as well. Peter Fury, a fantastic trainer.
00:56Gradus in the black for me has to be very very busy with his jab, try to stay to the right
01:04and he has to try to to counter Lopez's counter punches essentially,
01:12which is easier said than done against these fantastic Cuban boxers with unbelievable
01:19flair and skill, tremendous ability, unbelievable judgment to distance,
01:25their punch variety is exceptional as well and more importantly they always find room to punch
01:32no matter where they are in the ring. I'm a massive believer in success, breed success in
01:40boxing and Cuba have certainly had a great deal of success over the past 40 or so years.
01:50Thinking back to Barcelona in 1992 where they captured eight gold medals when
01:55Olympic boxing was absolutely thriving and IBA of course doing a great job in bringing that back.
02:13Good cross there from Lopez as you can see he's a southpaw, right hand forward.
02:20Gradus Kraus in the black has to make sure that he keeps his left hand a little bit higher.
02:34Having a low guard against a Cuban is never the best way to approach a contest against.
02:43Masters of judgment and distance.
02:55Nice little flurry there.
03:08Good jab from Lopez, almost looks like he's out of distance sometimes but still
03:11finding the target. This is what you get from the Cubans, nice jab there from Gradus but it
03:19takes a jab in return. A game of cat and mouse here, a very quick first round
03:30but that's what happens when you get the quality
03:36of these two competitors.
04:11I feel it's on the floor.
04:42Good start there from Gradus, a little bit more active, slightly more aggressive than he was in
04:57the first round. Nice body shot there from the man in black, whipped that left hook right under the
05:05right elbow of Lopez.
05:15Good lead right uppercut there from Lopez. Lopez still hasn't really quite found his rhythm,
05:36something that you see quite often from the Cubans. It's not a fast start but a very accurate
05:43start. They set their stall right away, they get right behind their jab, they find their distance
05:48very quickly and they make it very difficult for you to get back into the contest.
05:58And that's what Gradus Kraus doesn't want to allow to happen here.
06:02Good head movement from Kraus there.
06:08Picking his shots and slipping and sliding in and out of range.
06:13Nice right hand from Kraus again.
06:21The man in black growing in confidence certainly and rightly so
06:26because he's had a few bouts of success in this round, mixing up his combinations but
06:34still by no means controlling matters here and sometimes you do get the feeling
06:40when you're up against a world-class Cuban that they're just having a good look at you
06:44and they're measuring you just to see what they can catch you with.
06:49Once you start to gain confidence they like to take it away from you quite quickly.
06:57Good right hook there from Lopez.
07:03Not being overly busy with his jab.
07:06Cubans love to establish their jab and make their mark really quite early and
07:11they get all their punches off. Lovely fluid rhythmic movement and good jabs.
07:36I can hear Peter Fury yelling from the ringside there on Kraus to go to the body.
07:45It's not bad information at all.
07:53Coached by his father who I believe is a former world kickboxing champion and a boxing champion
07:59as well. Father-son relationships in boxing of course are very very successful normally.
08:12Especially if the father is a successful former boxer.
08:17Has lots to pass on to their son and the son will always listen or normally will always listen to a
08:22father more than someone that they don't know so well. Great punch picking there from Lopez.
08:29The jab followed by the left uppercut and even though he has disadvantages in height
08:34still managing to land shots like that just shows you the class of the Cubans.
09:22So
09:43another good body shot there
09:44from Kraus. Landed a few good effective body shots and that will help towards the
09:54the latter part of this contest and I'm sure that's the tactics
10:00of the Dutch corner just to maybe slow Lopez down as the bout goes on and for the younger
10:07more energetic Kraus to pick up the pace. Another lovely double left hook to the body.
10:12Really good effective body punching. I must remember as well Gradis Kraus is 22 years old
10:22and performing very very well here considering Lopez's experience.
10:28He heard the announcer say he's had over 150 amateur contests.
10:38Takes a good left hand there though from Lopez.
10:43Who does seem to be
10:50just finding the range a little bit more than he was in the first and second round.
10:56Not to the point in my opinion that it's becoming alarming but Gradis Kraus here is
11:01most certainly being tagged with a couple of more shots but he's very much still in this contest
11:08and like I mentioned earlier those body shots might come into play.
11:12They might work for him later on. They'll be hoping that Lopez slows down
11:17somewhat considerably and the younger
11:23more athletic looking
11:27young man in black can put his foot on the gas and have a big finish. Lovely counter
11:33punching there. Classic southpaw backhand from Lopez.
11:40He's not the easiest guy in the world to catch with a clean headshot
11:44like most Cubans. Very slippery, great movement for the waist.
11:47A lot of natural rhythm caught up with a good backhand counter there from Kraus.
11:57Nice showing mutual respect from both men there at the end of that third round.
12:04A lot of quality on show here.
12:16Gradis not breathing. Too heavy in the corner there. Looks very very fit.
12:21Physically as well in great condition.
12:33Watch your head up. Watch your head up.
13:03Round four underway.
13:13Gradis Kraus on the front feet straight away here looking to establish his dominance.
13:24Nice body shot again. I can testify that he's a very good body puncher.
13:29Inspired him with my son Alex Arthur Jr. Alex said he felt a lot.
13:37Gradis's body shot said he's a very good body puncher.
13:47This is fantastic experience for him regardless and with one of the best operators in IBA boxing
13:56and Arlen Lopez.
14:05Nice right uppercut there.
14:10From Kraus. Timed that very very well.
14:56Nice right hand from Kraus there. Sharp and straight.
15:10Good jab from Lopez.
15:14Lopez starting to look ominously uncomfortable. Comfortable here I should say.
15:20If you know the Cubans and you know how they operate you can see
15:28they start to build a rhythm for themselves and create a real a real flow.
15:34They almost box like they're listening to music in their heads.
15:41Technically beautiful. They've always got fantastic punch variety and like I mentioned earlier as well
15:47they always are in a position to punch no matter where they are, where they're dancing, if they're
15:54being aggressive they always seem to be able to get shots off and fantastic naturally gifted counter
16:01punchers and of course the success that their countries had over the years just builds because
16:10they continuously bring in the former champions from their country to work with the current boxers.
16:21The classic old story and success breeds success.
16:28A real real superpower in boxing.
16:34An Olympic style boxing particularly.
16:36A fantastic experience for this young man only 22 years old competing at this at this level.
16:49It's remarkable really and more than holding his own.
17:06Watch your head up.
17:36Good start to the fifth round here from Kraus letting his hands go fluidly.
18:00I was very very fortunate to work with Olympic silver medalist
18:06fantastic world champion Wayne McCulloch from Ireland and he always maintained that the best way
18:14to box against the Cubans was give them lots of pressure and lots of volume
18:20and to counter everything that they countered which takes a lot of energy
18:26and a lot of confidence in your own ability as well and I guess that comes with years of
18:33experience. Something that Gradus Kraus doesn't have on his side really considering he's a
18:42background of a fighting family
18:49but as I said earlier he's more than held his own here and doing very very well
18:55landing some really good body shots
19:00but you can just see Lopez's class coming through a little bit here.
19:14Trying to catch a little break there a little rest.
19:17Lopez rolling from the hips.
19:24Good body shot again from from Gradus a really good body puncher he is.
19:30Good body shot back from Lopez there that left uppercut under the rib.
19:37Both men looking to finish strong.
19:38Good footwork there
19:48from Lopez as well.
19:51Nice one too from Gradus.
19:57Less than half a minute to go now.
20:00Lopez switching up to orthodox goes back to southpaw.
20:04He really can do it all the Cubans nice leaping jumping jab there an effective shot for a southpaw.
20:15Something again that comes with experience and again.
20:23But the young man from the Netherlands hasn't done himself any harm here at all.
20:29He really has done very very well considering the level of opposition he was up against there.
20:35Remarkable stuff from the 22 year old but I just have the feeling that Lopez has edged this one out.
20:47But in reality it's a no-lose situation
20:53for Gradus Kraus.
21:30We see some of the shots there from Lopez very very effective.
21:36Let's see what the judges have got to say.
21:52Ladies and gentlemen before I announce the winner of this contest let me please welcome
21:57into the ring the IBA Secretary General Chris Roberts to present the ceremonial certificates to both boxers.
22:05And let's have a show of appreciation please for both of our contestants in the ring.
22:14We go to your judges scorecards where we have a split decision in favor of your winner.
22:22And the winner in the black corner whoa fantastic
22:34Well I had it 3-2 to the Cuban.
22:39But that is a fantastic win for Gradus Kraus from the Netherlands there.
22:43The judges must have preferred the more active body punching.