Ricky celebrates as his fighter, Zhakiyanov, wins a world title in Ohio
Hatton’s charge Zhakiyanov becomes world champion on away turf, writes
‘IF WARREN DOES WIN, HE’LL HAVE TO NAIL ZHANAT TO THE FLOOR’
PRIOR to their showdown versus WBA bantamweight titlist Rau’shee Warren, Zhanat Zhakiyanov’s
trainer Ricky Hatton declared, “If Warren does win, he’ll have to nail Zhanat to the floor. Literally.” Hatton wasn’t kidding. Three days before his 30th birthday, Warren dropped Zhakiyanov twice in the first but couldn’t keep him there, turning what was supposed to be the champion’s Ohio homecoming celebration into a coming out party for the challenger. Zhakiyanov survived the disastrous opener and applied effective pressure for 12 rounds to win a surprising but wellearned split decision.
The partisan crowd of 8,700 at the Huntington Center didn’t boo when the scores were announced, although it was a close fight. The 33-year-old Zhakiyanov simply wanted it more, and it showed.
Hatton immediately took to Twitter post-fight to gush about his fighter. And who can blame him? The duo spent four years labouring in his Hyde gym while Hatton was fighting his own battles with substance abuse and depression. Perhaps training a fighter to a world title will rejuvenate the former two-division world champ as he struggles to cope with post-retirement life. Warren, a three-time US Olympian, is a moderate-punching southpaw with lightning-quick hands
THE VERDICT A proud achievement for Zhakiyanov, and Hatton too.
and feet. After suffering a tight split decision loss to Juan Carlos Payano in his first world title challenge in August 2015, he won a majority verdict in an equally brutal return encounter in June last year. This would be the first defence of that belt, and Warren promised a power-punching display on the 2017 Bounce network debut of Premier Boxing Champions.
He delivered in the first, dropping Zhakiyanov with a short left cross. Zhakiyanov rose immediately, only to fall even quicker when Warren stepped in with a sickening right hook. Card promoter – and fellow Cincinnati native – Adrien Broner stood and cheered wildly along with everyone else as Zhakiyanov struggled to his feet. He was rescued by the bell seconds later.
The action tightened in the second. Warren flicked out his jab while circling the ring. A counter right hook momentarily slowed Zhakiyanov’s charge, but the Kazakh had found his footing. And his pressure kept Warren on his bike for much of the stanza (and the fight).
The tide turned for good in the third. Two successive rights followed by a light push down dropped a woozy Warren, but referee Gary Rosato ruled it a push. Nevertheless, Warren was getting tagged and offering little in return.
Zhakiyanov controlled the middle rounds, landing the heavier punches and bullying Warren. Rau’shee was barely throwing; on his heels at a distance and excessively clinching when the gap closed. The American finally let his hands go in the eighth, bouncing combinations off Zhakiyanov’s hard dome. The action see-sawed during the last quarter of the bout, but Zhakiyanov’s activity and cleaner punches aided him to the victory. One judge favoured Warren by 115-111, overruled by scores of 116-110 and 115111 for the winner.
“If we’d lost the fight, we would have been upset, but we’d know it wouldn’t have been a bad decision,” Hatton said. “Why not do it again?”
Hard to argue against him. Hatton, more than most, understands the importance of a second chance.
Local Robert Easter Jnr enjoyed a successful first defence of his IBF lightweight title, dropping Puerto Rico’s
Luis Cruz three times to punctuate a wide 12-round unanimous decision win.
Cruz was the soft touch sandwiched between Easter’s war with Richard Commey in September and an expected battle versus mandatory challenger Denis Shafikov later this year. The champion probably got tagged more than he’d have liked, but generally had his way with Cruz, using his lengthy reach to control the action.
Easter turned on the power in the second half of the fight. He often smothers his work in close but is dangerous at long range, as proven by the straight right that floored Cruz in the 10th.
Another long right – launched from seemingly halfway across the ring – dropped Cruz again in the 11th. He barely survived the round, only to fall a third time in the 12th. Cruz used every ounce of veteran guile to hear the final bell. Cards read 119-106, 118-107 and 117-108. Lonnie Scott officiated.