Denis Lebedev vs Lateef Kayode
At the Basket-Hall Arena, Kazan, Russia, Denis Lebedev successfully defended his WBA Cruiserweight crown. Lebedev knocked down Lateef Kayode three times en route to an 8th round knockout, with Kayode hitting the canvas once in the 7th and twice in the 8th.
After a cagy opening from both men, Lebedev then took hold of the fight, out-boxing and blasting the previously unbeaten Kayode, who was in deep waters throughout. Lebedev was unfazed by Kayode’s chit-chat and goading antics, and had no problems unloading crunching power shots.
After eating a combination, Kayode expressed disgust to the referee following a 7th round knockdown which he received a count for. Legit or not, it seemed to matter little. Lebedev cranked up the aggression and began connecting with monstrous right-hands until the bell sounded.
At the start of the 8th, Kayode still looked mightily shaken. Lebedev marched straight toward his wounded foe and dropped him with a thunderous left-hook. Kayode somehow managed to beat the count, but was met by two more left-hooks which put him right back on the canvas.
Lebedev now moves to 28 wins, 2 defeats, 21 knockouts, while Kayode falls to 21 wins, 1 defeat, 16 knockouts.
Rakhim Chakhkiev vs Ola Afolabi
Ola Afolabi surprised a lot of boxing fans by making one hell of a stand, and statement, in his Cruiserweight affair with Rakhim Chakhkiev. Afolabi scored a highlight reel knockout in the 5th round courtesy of a whipping left-hook no one saw coming.
The spectacular finish was all the more impressive considering Afolabi had survived two punishing opening rounds. Chakhkiev had looked to take Afolabi out from the onset, unloading full-blooded power shots. But Afolabi, a seasoned combatant, weathered the storm and waited patiently for the right time to strike.
Chakhkiev had put in some great work in the opening rounds, but had gassed himself out by the close of the 3rd. Afolabi then pumped out his jab to bag the 4th round, and finally pounced in the 5th, hurting his foe with a right-hand counter, and then closing the show with the left-hook.
Afolabi now climbs to 22 wins, 4 defeats, 4 draws, 11 knockouts, while Chakhkiev drops to 24 wins, 2 defeats, 18 knockouts.
Dmitry Kudryashov vs Olanrewaju Durodola
When a knockout artist like Dmitry Kudryashov gets knocked out, you know it’s a major upset. This kind of thing can happen to prospects, even those with 18 straight knockouts, and especially to those campaigning in the Cruiserweight division.
Kudryashov may have come in with a 100% KO ratio, but it was him who had his senses rearranged this afternoon. Olanrewaju Durodola survived a scare in the opener, but returned the favor in the 2nd after catching the favorite with a solid right-hand.
And Durodola, a heavy-handed fighter himself, knew how to finish what he had started. Durodola teed off relentlessly with powerful right-hands, pelting the face of a staggering Kudryashov until the referee rightly halted the action.
Durodola now builds to 22 wins, 2 defeats, 20 knockouts, while Kudryashov falls to 18 wins, 1 defeat, 18 knockouts.
Povetkin vs Wach: Early Undercard Results
Also on the card, Cesar Cuenca lost his IBF Junior Welterweight title – and his chance to beat Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record – after being stopped by Eduard Troyanovsky in the 6th round.
Dmitry Bivol stopped Jackson Junior in 4, and Vizkhan Murzabekov stopped Solomon Bogere in 3. Which means, yeah, every fight on this card so far has ended in a knockout!
Fight fans, chime in with your thoughts on the Povetkin vs Wach undercard. Short of the main event itself, has this shaped up to be the most dramatic, exciting card ever?
