Rumble in Red square: home boxers triumph
Published: 06 September, 2008, 21:04
AFP Photo / Alexey Sazonov
Former world heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev has defeated American fighter Robert Hawkins in Moscow. The fight was the highlight of the ‘Ringstars at Red Square’ boxing show just outside the Kremlin. The victory is ano
Oleg Masakaev won the ten-round bout on points by a unanimous decision of three referees (100 – 92, 100 – 90, 100 – 90). The Russian boxer dominated in every round and no one in the crowd had any doubts that he won fair and square.
Maskaev avoided risks so the fight turned out to be unentertaining. The American hit the floor in Round 6, but it was a slip rather than a knock-down.
This is the second meeting between the two heavyweights. In 1995 ‘The Big O’ knocked Hawkins out in the fourth round.
Besides the big fight, there was another attraction on the card. Double amateur champion of Russia, Magomed Abdusalamov, had his first professional bout. Having won all his previous fights with knock-outs, the 27-year-old was confident about defeating his challenger, Ghana's Epyphany Pipi.
And Magomed Abdusalamov made no mistakes, knocking out his opponent in the first round.
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