ABASS BARAOU introduced Yoenis Tellez to an almighty test, stern enough to see him pull off a sizable upset on away soil.
The pair squared off on the undercard of an MVP Promotions show, headlined by Yankiel Rivera vs Angelino Cordova, which took place in Orlando, Florida, earlier this morning.
Baraou, 17-1 (9 KOs), was brought in as an opponent, expected to offer Tellez, 10-1 (7 KOs), little more than a night of resistance, but instead, the 30-year-old’s ambition and experience saw him dethrone the WBA ‘interim’ super-welterweight champion.
In fact, Baraou got off to an encouraging start in the opening round, not doing anything too flashy but nonetheless showcasing a tidy pair of feet as he marched forward.
That industrious approach was then met by several eye-catching combinations from Tellez, whose greater activity and punch variety saw him edge the following frame.
But still, Baraou continued to press forward, and by shifting his feet around his target, began to create a series of delectable angles for his power shots.
The German’s pressure never seemed close to faltering, either, as by the fourth round, it became clear that Tellez needed to make more than a few adjustments.
Yet despite his best efforts, the Cuban failed to negate his opponent’s swarming style and, worse still, was unable to disrupt the tight defensive shape of Baraou.
Baraou then landed a string of sneaky uppercuts in the sixth round, always inching his feet forward – while also taking plenty of steps to the side – to maintain his relentless yet educated pressure.
A particularly strong end to the seventh frame from Baraou then only contributed to an even more one-sided three minutes, where it almost appeared that Tellez had begun to feel sorry for himself.
But the 25-year-old, to his credit, continued to throw bombs in the championship rounds – desperately attempting to claw his way back into the fight – yet it was Baraou who ultimately stamped his authority in the final visit.
A blistering flurry saw the away fighter ping Tellez’s head from side to side, up and down, before a thrilling exchange then presented him with an opening to bundle his man to the canvas.
Along with that knockdown, which arrived with just ten seconds left of the final round, Baraou had built enough of a lead to claim three scorecards of 110-117, 111-116 and 112-115.
The result is particularly impressive, too, when considering that, prior to facing Baraou, Tellez had defeated the likes of Julian Williams and Sergio Garcia – two solid contenders – in convincing fashion.
