At the DC Armory, Washington, challenger Lukas Konecny (50-4, 23 KO) proved to be an unworthy challenger of Peter Quillin’s WBO Middleweight title. Without question, Konecny was a game opponent, and had traveled from the Czech Republic to blemish Quillin’s unbeaten record on April 19th, 2014. But Konecny simply lacked the tools and game plan for the task ahead of him. Quillin won by Unanimous Decision with scores of 119-109, 119-109, 120-108.
For the first 3 rounds, Konecny was able to land some eye-catching shots. He was the aggressor, always marching forward and forcing Quillin (30-0, 22 KO) to frequently box off the back foot. At times Konecny landed a crowd-pleasing blow that caught Quillin’s attention. But it wasn’t enough; he received twice as many from Quillin’s sharp, accurate combinations.
Konecny had now revealed his one-dimensional plan to beat Quillin: to cut off the ring and chop away on the ropes. Not necessarily a flawed strategy – but when no lateral movement, angles or variety is employed (let alone a high punch output), it was doomed from the get-go.
By round 6, Quillin had grown comfortable with his foe’s stalking, flat-footed style, and began to unload with some vicious flurries. Some of Konecny’s telegraphed punches did occasionally find their target, but the man was becoming increasingly out-boxed.
And it carried on much the same, with Konecny’s gradual beating about to get worse. Through rounds 7-9, Quillin sat down on his punches, punishing his opponent’s predictable style. Konecny was a brave fighter, for sure, but with a bloody nose and battered face, he was now being schooled by an elite boxer.
Quillin remained in control through the final rounds, inflicting more pain on his challenger. And when the final bell sounded, there was no doubt that Konecny – now sporting a cut over his right eye – had fallen on the wrong side of a lopsided decision. (Quillin vs Konecny Boxing Highlights)
The crowd booed, having craved a heavier beating and ideally a knockout from Quillin. But this would seem unjust; it was never going to be easy for Quillin to find that kind of power while being forced onto the back foot for the fight’s entirety.
Never riveting – and certainly a poor matchup – Quillin vs Konecny will quickly flake away from fight fan’s memories. So needless to say, Peter Quillin would receive less hostility from his audience if he were to face a notable top 10 ranked contender in his next defense.
It would be too early to be thrown in with division destroyer, Golovkin, so why not start negotiations with some serious contenders such as Daniel Geale or Felix Sturm? Or, if Quillin’s promotional team are looking to further plump his record beforehand, why not go after a stern test such as England’s Martin Murray? The man knocked down and almost dethroned Sergio Martinez – marketability taken care of. Or in Ireland, how about Andy Lee?
What’s your thoughts on Quillin vs Konecny? Fire away in the comments below!
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