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New WBO Cruiserweight Champion Krzysztof Glowacki Stuns Marco Huck with Comeback KO, Shows Antonio Tarver and Steven Cunningham How It’s Done

Glowacki-Huck-KOBy Chris “Man of Few Words” Benedict

Two adversaries, one German the other Polish, enter the arena to engage in combat. What could possibly go wrong there? As our quarrelsome past has proven, the answer is plenty. And, while the bombardment of heavy artillery was unleashed by both participants Friday night in New Jersey’s Prudential Center with events unfolding in a manner befitting the maxim of history repeating itself, things would take a most unexpected, last-second turn.

Serbian-born German national Marco Huck was making what would have been a record 14th successful title defense of his WBO World Cruiserweight Title against undefeated Krzysztof Glowacki on Friday evening’s Premier Boxing Champions co-feature. Both boxers were making their American debut. Huck, who had worn the belt for nearly six years, defeated Argentinian strongman Victor Emilio Ramirez, known as “El Tyson del Abasto”, by unanimous decision for the championship back on August 29, 2009. He entered the ring with only two prior defeats, the first of which was a 2007 12th round TKO at the hands of Steve “USS” Cunningham who would be taking on Antonio Tarver in the much-hyped main event which was outdone by its pre-fight trash talk and appeared to have been sponsored by Ambien or Nyquil as it lulled the national viewing audience into peaceful slumbers. Huck, who had fought 147 rounds in championship competition, and the 24-0 southpaw Glowacki, with 128 total career rounds to his resume by contrast, had already raised the bar so high neither Cunningham nor Tarver had the presence of mind or spring in their step to leap over it, so both blown-up light-heavies instead circumnavigated their way to a snooze-fest which was totally eclipsed by the Eastern European warriors just south of their weight division.

Glowacki came into the contest as the (obviously non-defending) Polish International Cruiserweight title-holder as well as the WBO’s Inter-Continental Cruiserweight champion, having claimed that belt from around the waist of Felipe Romero in August 2012. Krzysztof’s dream for Huck’s world title was nearly disfigured into a nightmare courtesy of a monstrous left hook 35 seconds into the sixth round which looked as though it would have put Glowacki to bed for the night. Remarkably, he stumbled back on to unreliable legs before the count reached nine and somehow recovered sufficiently from the first knockdown of his career to exchange shots with an astonished Huck at center ring, as the German champion proved unable to close the show and was nailed by a brutal left to add insult to injury.

A virtually non-stop attack of punishing combinations from Huck, as well as an accidental clash of heads, opened cuts on the bridge of Glowacki’s nose and over his right eye and, trailing by three points on the scorecards, things were looking particularly dreary for the Polish challenger deep in the 11th round. Until, that is, an overhand left lead thundered across Huck’s temple with 45 seconds remaining, followed by a straight right that sent the champion sprawling onto the canvas, an unprecedented occurrence for him to that point. Huck would regain his footing but not his composure as Glowacki pounced upon his opponent, smothering him with a succession of body blows and head shots. Another huge left was the deciding factor as Huck toppled back and to the left, held aloft only by the bottom two ring ropes. Referee David Fields halted the bout at 2:39 of the second to last round and Krzysztof Glowacki had staged an inconceivable upset in what is being discussed as a possible Fight of the Year candidate. If not, then certainly Comeback of the Year.

And, as a fight fan of Polish descent embarrassed by the past thuggery of Andrew Golota, I was given twice the reason to celebrate Friday night.

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