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Robert Whittaker is one of the best middleweights in the world. Unfortunately for the Australian star, he fights in the same division as the absolute best.
Israel Adesanya retained his middleweight title with a unanimous decision Saturday at the Toyota Center, beating Whittaker for a second time. This time, it went to the judges, who saw it 48-47 twice and 49-46 for Adesanya. Yahoo Sports also had Adesanya 49-46.
Adesanya knocked Whittaker out in the second round in 2019 in their first meeting, but he didn’t come close to finishing Whittaker this time around. But it was an impressive performance in which Adesanya did a bit more each round.
Whittaker worked hard to get Adesanya down, and had several takedowns, but he couldn’t do anything with them. Adesanya popped up each time and got out of danger.
“I’m the big dog in this yard,” said Adesanya, who said afterward he’d like to face Jared Cannonier in June. Cannonier stopped Derek Brunson Saturday on the undercard.
Adesanya’s kicks were the difference in the bout. He chopped at Whittaker’s legs repeatedly and made the ex-champion pay for trying to close the distance. With a seven-inch reach advantage, Adesanya could afford to hang back and pile up points by punishing Whittaker’s legs.
He dropped Whittaker with a straight left in the first, but Whittaker wasn’t badly hurt and popped back up.
But Whittaker, who felt he’d won the fight, wasn’t able to do much offensively and that was his undoing.
Adesanya’s only loss in 23 fights as a pro came in a close fight with then-light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz a year ago. Blachowicz was able to get Adesanya down and hold him there.
That strategy hasn’t worked for a middleweight, though. Whittaker worked on it constantly and though he’d momentarily take Adesanya down, he had little to show for it.
Still, Whittaker was pleased with his performance.
“I started off rocky in the first, but I felt I won every round after that,” Whittaker said. “It is what it is. I’m happy that I fought my heart out and left it all out there.”
Whittaker has dominated the division much like Adesanya, but his style is similar to Adesanya’s. The difference is that Adesanya is just a bit better.