“Główka” Wins a Great Battle and Regains the WBO Belt
Krzysztof Głowacki (31-1, 19 KO) and Maksim Vlasov (42-3, 25 KO) put on a fantastic show in the World Boxing Super Series quarterfinals. After twelve rounds, the Pole emerged victorious and regained the WBO cruiserweight world title. For now, it is the interim belt, but much suggests that Oleksandr Usyk will move up to heavyweight and Głowacki will become the full champion.
The Russian started aggressively, but “Główka” countered with a left hook and cooled his enthusiasm somewhat. In the first round, the Pole took a long right hand but answered with a left hook, then shook his opponent with a short right. He did not have time to follow up because he threw the punch a fraction of a second after the command to “stop.” In the second round, Vlasov boxed from distance, making use of straight punches. Głowacki consistently looked for shots to the body.
The third round did not go the Pole’s way for a long time. However, with a dozen or so seconds remaining, Głowacki’s short right hand, combined with the Russian’s poor foot positioning, earned him an additional point for a knockdown. Vlasov was not clearly hurt, but the referee was within his rights to begin the count. The fourth round was even and contested at a high level. After what Mairis Briedis and Avni Gevor had shown earlier, the fans were once again treated to excellent boxing.
The fifth round belonged to Vlasov. The Russian felt the hooks to the body, but he extended his combinations and renewed his attacks. Even when his first two punches cut through the air, the third often found its target. “Wait for him; he’ll come to you,” trainer Fiodor Łapin advised from the corner. The next three minutes looked similar, although “Główka” was increasingly directing his punches downstairs.
The seventh and eighth rounds were even, with a slight edge to Vlasov. In the ninth, the body hooks clearly began to wear the Russian down. Whenever one of them landed cleanly, Maksim immediately tied up and looked for a clinch. Vlasov came back strongly after the break. He landed more often, but the Pole’s punches were more telling.
The eleventh round was outstanding. Both fighters landed powerful shots. After a clash of heads, a deep cut appeared under the Pole’s left eye, while a sizable swelling rose on Vlasov’s forehead. Before the final round, the fans deservedly applauded both fighters.
The final three minutes reflected the character of the entire fight: they were fiercely contested, entertaining, fought at a high pace and difficult to score. Głowacki finished the bout bloodied, while a tennis-ball-sized swelling was visible on Maksim’s forehead. Both men waited a long time for the decision. The judges scored it 118:110, 117:110 and 115:112—all in favor of the Pole. Bravo!
Source: bokser.org
