Shumenov vs Flores

Highlights

• —Flores pressed the action throughout the fight, serving as the aggressor much of the night.

• —Shumenov began ramping up his offense more in Round 8, throwing combinations and taking advantage of a tiring Flores.

• —Flores crushed Shumenov with a hard right in Round 12 but it was too late in the fight for him to capitalize further, resulting in unanimous decision win for Shumenov.

B.J. Flores wasn’t looking for a dance partner Saturday at The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas, but his opponent, Beibut Shumenov, skillfully cut a rug in the ring.

It was a cat and mouse type of fight, where one fighter was defined by frustration and the other by his fleetness of foot.

B.J. Flores pressed the action all night against a kinetic Beibut Shumenov, who never stopped moving, much to the annoyance of Flores.

Shumenov bounced around the ring, picking his spots, firing punches judiciously, as Flores attempted to walk him down.

This is how the fight went much of the night: Flores marching down Shumenov, loading up on his punches and throwing bombs, while Shumenov relied on constant movement and counter punching.

Flores almost managed to turn the tide in Round 12, though.

With 10 seconds left to go in the fight, he landed a punishing right that sent Shumenov careening into the ropes. Flores didn’t have enough time, though, to take advantage of the opportunity to inflict more damage on a suddenly vulnerable Shumenov.

As such, it turned out to be too little too late as Shumenov won a unanimous decision (116-112 on all three judges’ scorecards).

Despite a late surge by B.J. Flores in the final round, former world titleholder Beibut Shumenov claimed a win by unanimous decision in a fight where he switched up his fighting style and frustrated Flores. (Suzanne Teresa / Premier Boxing Champions)