Jared Anderson has resumed his knockout ways.
The red-hot heavyweight contender brutalized Ukraine’s Andriy Rudenko en route to a fifth-round stoppage victory. There were not any knockdowns on the night but Rudenko was under siege and unable to defend himself. Referee Gary Ritter saw enough and intervened at 1:40 of round five In their ESPN-televised main event Saturday from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“It was just about staying patient, staying calm,” Anderson told ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna after the win.
The bout came just eight weeks after Anderson was forced to go all ten rounds in a unanimous decision victory over former IBF heavyweight titlist Charles Martin. The July 1 ESPN headliner in his Toledo (Ohio) hometown saw Anderson go beyond the sixth round and to the scorecards for the first time as a pro.
The 23-year-old heavyweight was unbothered by the end of his knockout streak or with the quick turnaround. In fact, he asked for and was granted Saturday’s headliner and went right back to work against a willing opponent. Rudenko was never hard to find and even managed a couple of right hands in the opening round. The visiting Ukrainian journeyman was rocked late in the frame but managed to avoid the canvas.
Momentum remained with Anderson in round two. Body work was key for the unbeaten American contender, as Rudenko was forced to defend against stabbing rights and left hooks downstairs, along with a power jab top for good measure.
Anderson continued to pump his jab in round three. The long weapon set up more body work along with a left uppercut which found its way around Rudenko’s guard. Anderson switched to southpaw and connected with a left hand that slapped against Rudenko’s fleshy midsection. Rudenko was warned twice for holding down Anderson’s head. Anderson went back to work and landed more than a half-dozen body shots in the final ten seconds.
Rudenko was slowly on the way out, though it was a matter of whether he would get stopped or disqualified. He was repeatedly warned for excessive headlocks before he lost a point for the infraction early in round five.
It proved inconsequential as Anderson stepped in to close the show.
A barrage of power shots from Anderson forced Rudenko (35-7, 21KOs) to cover up as he was trapped along the ropes. Following two verbal commands to fight back, Rudenko was rescued from further punishment.
“Go to the body, the head will fall,” said Anderson, who was credited with a career-high 72 landed body shots according to Compubox.
Anderson advanced to 16-0 (15KOs) and began a new knockout streak. He’d previously stopped all fourteen opponents in six rounds or less before his distance win over Martin.
He got the job done with precision punching. Anderson landed 141-of-279 total punches (50.5%), including 97-of-175 power shots (55.4%). Rudenko landed just 38-of-186 total punches (20.4%) and 29-of-116 power punches (25%).
“He’s very tough,” Rudenko acknowledged of Anderson. “If he continues like this, we will see him at the top in the near future.”
Whether Anderson reaches that point is of less concern than the goal to provide generational wealth for his family.
His career trajectory will only increase his earning potential, in addition to Anderson’s charisma and other star qualities you look for in a rising heavyweight.
None of that, however, will factor into what Anderson wants to accomplish in the ring.
“I was sending a statement to myself,” Anderson said of his performance. “I am fighting for myself and fighting for my family. As much as people want to hate on me, I’m gonna be real and stay real. Y’all can take it however you want, but I am a realist. This is a business. I’m just doing my job.
“Take it how you want but you can’t force me or want me to be someone y’all want me to be. I’m gonna be myself and I’m gonna be that to the end.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox