The moment the round started, Balim pressed forward like he'd flipped a switch. He wasn't throwing wild punches or swinging for the fences, he was controlled. But his pace had changed. His feet moved with urgency, his jab was more active, and the look in his eyes was different.
PDD noticed it right away. His hands stayed high as he circled, testing range, but Balim didn't let him breathe. He stayed just close enough to force reactions, making PDD twitch on every feint.
Rich Alvarez, on commentary, leaned in, eyebrows raised.
"Okay! Looks like Balim found a second wind."
Jon Goodman added,
"This is not what anyone expected. The man's known for slowing down late, now he's the one turning up the heat."
The champion responded with a right hand that landed clean on Balim's chin, but Balim didn't take a step back. He rolled with it, and countered with a stiff jab to the body, followed by a right hook that grazed PDD's temple.
