Gvozdyk flattens Stevenson to win WBC title

Hurd stops Welborn to retain crowns

MONTREAL, Dec 2, (AFP): Oleksandr Gvozdyk knocked out Adonis Stevenson with 13 seconds remaining in the 11th round to capture the World Boxing Council light heavyweight championship in Quebec City on Saturday.

The unbeaten 31-year-old Gvozdyk unloaded a barrage of rights and lefts that sent the Canadian champion reeling. He then finished Stevenson off with a crushing right hand, leaving him leaning awkwardly against the corner ropes.

Gvozdyk claimed the belt in his first shot at a major title and he did it by making the trip to Canada to face Stevenson on his home soil.

Gvozdyk, who won an Olympic bronze medal for Ukraine at the 2012 Games, improved to 16-0 with 13 knockouts.

Stevenson, 41, showed his age in the later rounds, looking tired and lacking power. He suffered just the second defeat of his career, dropping to 29-2-1 overall.

Stevenson blasted Gvozdyk with a solid right halfway through the 10th round at the Videotron Centre. But the Ukrainian answered moments later with a five-punch combination that helped set the stage for his devastating knockout in the 11th.

Jarrett Hurd of the United States stopped Britain’s Jason Welborn in the fourth round to retain his WBA, IBF and IBO light middleweight titles.

The 28-year-old from Maryland survived an early onslaught from Welborn before going on the offensive midway through the fourth.

After driving Welborn into the middle of the ring, Hurd connected with a vicious right to the Englishman’s torso which sent him sinking to the floor.

Welborn, who earlier had Hurd in trouble in the third, was unable to beat the count as referee Lou Moret called the contest to a halt.

Hurd improved to 23-0 with 16 wins inside the distance following the victory at the Staples Center, part of the undercard for the WBC heavyweight clash between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Hurd had looked to be in complete control in the opening two rounds, coolly slipping away from Welborn’s punches and finding his range with a tidy jab.

However Welborn responded gamely in the third, backing Hurd into the corner and wobbling the champion with a left hook which smashed through his defenses.

Encouraged, Welborn started the fourth brightly but had no answer when Hurd finally landed to the body. Oleksandr Gvozdyk (left), of Ukraine, lands a right on Adonis Stevenson, of Canada, during their light heavyweight WBC championship boxing fight

on Dec 1 in Quebec City. Gvozdyk won by knockout. (AP)