Boxing Results From Around the World (August 28 – 30)

By Jeremiah “Griffo’s Handkerchief” Preisser

While the boxing world was largely focused on Abner Mares versus Leo Santa Cruz, Ukraine’s Sports Palace hosted a four-hour card filled with prospects, the headliner of which seems to have immense potential.

Oleksandr Spyrko, 19-0, 11 KO’s, an up-and-coming 154-pounder and one of the earliest contestants on the undercard of Usyk-Muller, scored a one-punch knockout over his game challenger, lanky Latvian, Eduards Gerasimovs, 6-5-1, 6 KO’s. The bout itself lasted not even a full round, so a proper assessment of his ability will have to wait. But what can be said is that the well-placed left hook he landed to end it early was beautiful.

Following that bout was tall Ukrainian southpaw, Oleg “Malina” Malinovskiy, 16-0, 5 KO’s, facing off against Uzbekistan’s, Bahyt Abdurahimov, 11-9, 5 KO’s, in an eight-rounder. “Malina” had his way the entire way through, landing everything he possessed in his arsenal. Fortunately for Abdurahimov, Oleg doesn’t hit that hard, so remaining standing until the end wasn’t that difficult of a feat. Malinovskiy won a clear decision and looks to have solid potential, though featherweight is already bursting at the seams with talent, so cracking the top-10 may prove difficult.

Next up was a bout many in hardcore boxing circles clamored about, as former silver medalist at the 2011 World Championships and 2012 London Olympic Games, Denys Berinchyk, 1-0, 1 KO, took part in his professional debut against Dutch resident, Tarik Madni, 19-9-1, 1 KO. On paper, it looked to be stiff opposition for a new-comer to the paid ranks, but Berinchyk showed once again that a large body of amateur experience can neutralize limited professional experience.

The quirky light-welterweight from Krasnodon, Ukraine started fairly slowly and the first two rounds were fairly close, but once the former Olympian picked up the pace, he dominated. In segments three and four, Berinchyk came forward with movement and pressure, and landed shots from all sorts of angles, just as he had done as an amateur. Denys, like his former Ukrainian teammates, showed that it didn’t matter where he punched you, so long as an openings were there. The man making his debut battered Madni and wound up breaking his nose. That injury prompted a halting to the match and the former Olympian received a TKO for his effort.

In all likelihood Denys Berinchyk will be moved very quickly, again, just like some of his former Olympic boxing participants. This, in my opinion, is a good thing. Less fighters with big amateur experience should waste their time fighting guys they learn little overcoming. Granted Berinchyk keeps winning and keeps progressing, the 140-pound division should get a perk with this crafty fellow joining their ranks.

Finally, in the main feature of the card staged in Ukraine’s capital, burgeoning cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk, 8-0, 8 KO’s, currently signed with the Klitschko brothers’ K2 Promotions, fought South African fringe contender Johnny Muller, 19-5-2, 13 KO’s. On paper this was supposed to be a step up, but in the ring it proved anything but.

Usyk came out playing defense, which is clearly one of his strong suits. Muller tried to maintain an active pace, but air was largely all he found. Usyk continued his mostly defensive ways into the second while at the same time jabbing and setting traps for the future. In the third round, the slick, 6’3”, athletic big man increased his pace and began to capitalize of Muller’s mistakes, countering him more frequently while at the same time continuing to pop the straight right. Behind the cries of “Usyyyk!…”Usyyyk!”, the former gold medalist at the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics cracked the South African with a jolting left that sent him down on his back. Muller beat the count, but it was a mere five seconds before he tasted the canvass again. Sporting heart, he got up and was rendered well enough to fight on. It mattered little, however. Usyk came right at him and forced a stoppage after a volley of blows. The final result: a TKO in round three.

Oleksandr Usyk intends on breaking Evander Holyfield’s record of the fastest to win a belt at cruiserweight and if you ask this writer, he is fully capable of doing so. Usyk is as slick as snot and powerful, a rare combination. When you add in his accuracy, his amateur experience, his sense of timing and distance, and his awareness in the ring, you get a strong notion that he just may be a future legend.

A day before and on a different continent, New Yorker and heavyweight prospect Trevor Bryan, 16-0, 11 KO’s, managed a unanimous decision against veteran Derrick “The Shaolin Fist” Rossy, 30-10, 14 KO’s. It wasn’t easy. Rossy pushed the youngster and really made him work hard the entire time, but Bryan outpaced Rossy and did more damage. Bryan did score a knockdown in the first, but overall his effort was okay. Progress certainly needs to be made before he gets the classiest men in the division.

Former junior-middleweight contender Alfredo “Perro” Angulo, 24-5, 20 KO’s, still looked shot when he entered the ring versus New Mexican journeyman Hector Munoz, 23-16-1, 15 KO’s. Angulo has always been slow, but against Munoz, not only did his hands look like syrup flowing down bark, his reaction time and balance appeared as if it had declined.

Angulo, though he managed a knockdown and a stoppage win, is a fighter in need of some saving. The same goes for James “Lights Out” Toney who struggles and loses to fighters he would have dismantled with ease years ago. Both men should find better ways to make a living and the commissions should assist them by not granting them licenses.

Also scoring victories were: Jorge Paez, JR., Joel Diaz, JR., Jonathan Maicelo, Christian Hammer, Decarlo Perez, Denis Tsaryuk, and Brian Carlos Castano.

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