THE HEAVYWEIGHT FRINGE
Gassiev returns in farcical encounter, while Kabayel wins the European title after coming through unexpected storm, writes Eric Armit
FEBRUARY 3 YEREVAN, ARMENIA
In his first fight since August, MURAT GASSIEV, 30-1 (23), continued his heavyweight campaign with an unsatisfactory second round KO of MIKE BALOGUN, 20-1 (16). Gassiev just shadowed Balogun around the ring in the first. Balogun tossed an occasional jab and a couple of rights, but Gassiev hardly threw a punch in anger. In the second Gassiev stuck out a couple of jabs that had Balogun retreating to the ropes and Gassiev then drove a powerful right to Balogun’s head. Balogun went down face-first on the canvas. He then rolled over to a kneeling position, not facing the referee. When the referee completed the 10-count Balogun immediately got to his feet with no sign of even a slight wobble.
NORTHRIDGE, AUSTRALIA
A new star in the making for Australia? In only his second professional fight light-flyweight ALEX WINWOOD, 2-0 (2), scored three knockdowns and stopped Indonesian TIBO MONABESA, 21-2-2-1NC (8), in the fourth round. Winwood represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships and the 2020 Olympics.
FEBRUARY 4 BOCHUM, GERMANY
Hometown fighter AGIT KABAYEL, 23-0 (15), survived near disaster to win the vacant European heavyweight title with a third-round stoppage of Croatia’s AGRON SMAKICI, 19-2 (17). Kabayel marched forward in the first round, with the taller Smakici using his longer reach to spear Kabayel with right jabs and straight lefts. Kabayel decided to up the pressure in the second. He forced Smakici to the ropes and drilled in a hard right. Smakici fired back with a left to the head and suddenly Kabayel’s legs shook. He was badly dazed and Smakici pounded him with a series of punches that had Kabayel tottering to the ropes. As he slid down, he grabbed the top rope and hung there. As the ropes were holding Kabayel up, the referee stepped in and gave him a count. When the action resumed, Smakici battered Kabayel around the ring. Kabayel was holding desperately to survive and, incredibly, Smakici had suddenly punched himself to exhaustion. He was now the one under fire at the bell. In the third, Smakici had nothing left and he was driven around the ring with Kabayel landing punch after punch. Kabayel wrestled the Croatian to the canvas and it was painful to see Smakici clawing his way up the ropes to his feet. The fight should have been stopped then, but even as Kabayel was again raking Smakici with head punches the visitor was still, more by instinct than intent, pushing out counters, so the referee let it continue. A pair of heavy hooks dropped Smakici to his knees, but he again struggled to his feet. After the eight-count, Kabayel exploded another couple of rights to the head and the referee at last stopped the fight.
In other heavyweight fights, ALEX FRANK, 22-0-1 (19), floored Azeri RUFAT HAJIYEV, 8-1 (4), in the sixth and twice more in the seventh to force a stoppage, and ILJA MEZENCEV, 24-2-0-1NC (20), finished Finn SAMI ENBOM, 19-11 (11), with a body punch in the first round.
BARCELONA, SPAIN
Frenchman WALID OUIZZA, 17-2 (8), captured the vacant European Union super-lightweight title with a split decision over local favourite ALEJANDRO MOYA, 17-1 (10). Over 12 hard-fought rounds, Ouizza’s strength overcame Moya’s better skills. Instead of standing off and boxing, Moya allowed himself to be dragged into a close-quarters battle and paid the price as Ouizza won on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 with the third judge giving it to Moya at 116-115.
MERIDA, MEXICO Super-bantamweight prospect ALAN PICASSO, 24-0-1 (13), took a while to beat the resistance out of a lively KEVIN VILLANUEVA, but eventually the power and accuracy of Picasso’s punches literally brought Villanueva to his knees. Villanueva was a late substitute, but he rolled forward from the first, firing hooks and uppercuts. He gave Picasso some uncomfortable moments, but was soon fading under neck-snaping jabs and left hooks to the body. Villanueva was on shaky legs at the end of the fifth and a savage onslaught in the sixth saw him drop to his knees and his corner threw in the towel. There is now talk of a fight with Luis Nery.