Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Saturday, December 13, 2014, Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) snatched the vacant WBO Middleweight title with a knockout victory over previously unbeaten, Matt Korobov (24-1, 14 KOs). The title bout was scheduled for 12 rounds and was the second bout of a three-fight HBO card presented by Top Rank Inc. and held inside The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Round 1 started off slowly, as you may expect when you have two southpaws in the ring, but Korobov seemed to be doing just enough to get the better of the action.
When the two men did engage in the early stanzas, Lee was content to be the counter puncher but didn’t land anything of significance until the third round in which Lee became a bit more offensive and succeeded in wobbling Korobov with a good hook.
That punch–which was certainly Lee’s best up to that point–definitely gave him the round.
Korobov settled in and took the next few rounds as his confidence seemed to be building. Midway through Round 6, Korobov stepped in and landed a heavy left hook, which likely gave him the confidence to step in immediately and throw a big right.
But Lee did a great job of countering with a right hook, taking advantage of Korobov’s wide open stance.
PHOTO: With tonight's victory, @AndyLeeBoxing improves to 34-2, 24 KOs. #BradleyChaves pic.twitter.com/ilfItSuOOY
— HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) December 14, 2014
Korobov wobbled back as Lee went in for the kill. After a vicious barrage of punches with no response, Kenny Bayless saved Korobov from an excessive beating and stepped in to call a halt to the bout at 1:10 of Round 6.
With the victory, Lee is now the WBO Middleweight Champion. Predictably, at the time of the stoppage, Lee was down on all three cards with two of the judges having Korobov up five points.
Speaking to Max Kellerman after the fight, Lee dedicated his victory to the late great Emanuel Steward. “This title is for the man who made me. He said I would win a world title,” said Lee of Steward.
WATCH: @AndyLeeBoxing delivers a barrage of shots on Korobov to earn the victory – http://t.co/54XJWSi0Dh #TweetReplay #BradleyChaves
— HBOboxing (@HBOboxing) December 14, 2014
