Anderson ‘Braddock’ Silva is not a small man. At 6’4 and 230lbs (134kgs), he is a natural heavyweight in every sense of the word. But stood next to the 6’8”, 295lb Jamal Ben Saddik he looked two weight classes smaller - Ben Saddik is called ‘The Goliath’ for good reason.
Silva made up for the size disadvantage with experience. Not yet 30 years old, he already has nearly ten years of top-level fighting to his credit and he has faced pretty much all the big names in the heavyweight division past and present.
That experience showed as he successfully negated Ben Saddik’s size advantage for most of the first two rounds, slipping and ducking under The Goliath’s punches to avoid damage as he got inside to throw hooks and overhand rights.
Comfortably ahead on points after two rounds, Silva was flooded with confidence. That only increased as the third round played out much like the first two, which may have been his undoing.
Having backed Ben Saddik into a corner, Silva landed a nice right hand. So pleased was he with his effort that it appeared he stood back for a moment to admire his work. Ben Saddik duly snapped out a right hand of his own, Silva taking it full force, and down the Brazilian went.
Suddenly the fight was wide open. Having lost the first two rounds Ben Saddik’s only hope of winning was by stoppage in the third. He was now on the way to achieving it; Silva was badly rocked and was forced onto the retreat. It was Ben Saddik’s turn to force the action, backing Silva onto the ropes and trying to take him out with a head kick.
That wasn’t enough to put Silva down, but shortly afterwards the Brazilian was backed into a corner and under sustained fire. With his guard breaking down and shots starting to land freely his head was snapping side to side with the force of the blows. It was clear a knockout was about to happen, so the referee did his duty and stepped in to wave the fight off.
Silva and his corner protested, but a referee’s role is sometimes to protect fighters from themselves as well as their opponent. Silva was game to continue but the fight was over. Ben Saddik snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and while he wasn’t completely happy with his performance, a win is a win. He is now 2-0 since his June comeback from disciplinary suspension.
Jamal Ben Saddik def. Anderson Silva, TKO R3 2:55
