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By Ryan Burton
Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall, Las Vegas, NV - In the PBC on Bounce TV main event, Tony Harrison (27-2) dropped former world champion Ishe Smith (29-10) on his way to winning a split decision. Thee final scores were 97-92 Harrison, 94-93 Smith and 96-93 for Harrison in a bout he appeared to win handily.
The first two rounds were mostly feel out rounds as neither fighter landed much of significance. That changed in the third round when a straight right hand sent Smith to the canvas. He beat the count and rose to his feet - and continued to be the aggressor as he had been up to that point of the fight.
With the knockdown in his pocket Harrison became more aggressive in the fourth as he began to come forward. Smith regained his legs and landed multiple combinations of his own.
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Harrison was getting the better of the action in the fifth but Ishe landed a flush left hand that temporarily stunned the Michigan native. Smith was hurt towards the end of the sixth round as Harrison unloaded a flurry of punches.
Many of the shots missed by enough landed to damage the Las Vegan. Smith landed several shots of his own while Harrison’s punch output dropped significantly in what appeared to be a round he took off.
Harrison had Smith hurt again at the end of the eighth but again made the veteran made it to the final bell. Harrison started out fast to begin the ninth but quickly stopped throwing punches as Smith regained his composure and controlled most of the round by initiating the action. Harrison also had the edge in the tenth and final round.
Also on the card, unbeaten cruiserweight Andrew Tabiti (16-0) took another step towards contender status with a 6th round knockout victory over rugged veteran Lateef Kayode (21-3).
Ishe Smith