After entering the ring to the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Can’t Stop,” Jackson pawed with his jab against the 32 year old from Denton, Saskatchewan, who also fights under the name Ian Masuskapoe. Jackson soon began doubling his jab to land the straight left. It was a strategy he used much of the fight.
By the end of the first, Jackson took control of center ring. He started the second with more of the jab, tripling up on it at one point. He threw lead lefts, sometimes following them up with sweeping rights that were meant to distract Abbott from blocking another incoming straight left. A power jab knocked out Mr. Wonderful’s mouthpiece.
Before the start of the third and fourth rounds, the doctor checked Jackson’s bruises and cuts. Lev battles Crohn’s disease and the medicine he takes to control the disease can lead to increased bruising and causes him to cut easily. Abbott was tough and often fired back, but he was second best when it can to the number and effectiveness of the blows. His best shot was a right uppercut after Lev launched an overhand left and then rolled for the second consecutive sequence.
Despite the doctor’s concerns, the third round was more of the same, with Jackson backing Abbott into the corner several times. In the fourth round, Jackson continued to show his right to force Abbott to walk into the left.
At 130 pounds, Lev looked fast and fought smart. He used measured brawling to outwork and outclass his opponent. His breath control was superior, exhaling with each shot. Abbott, an experienced MMA fighter, didn’t have the same mastery over his breathing.
Jackson won with two scores of 40-36 and one of 39-37. The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 40-36 for Jackson. He moves to 6-1-1 with 3 KOs. Abbott is now 1-8-1. He has never been stopped.
After the fight, Lev showed respect to Abbott, noting he was tough and quick. He said he was prepared to execute plan A, B, and C if it came to that. He’s hoping for something big up next, possibly back in Alberta against a local prospect.