Kuziemski Stops Tarvydas; Golovkin Defeats Dziarra

By Boxing News - 11/25/2008 - Comments

Image: Kuziemski Stops Tarvydas; Golovkin Defeats DziarraBy Erik Schmidt: Undefeated light heavyweight contender Aleksy Kuziemski (16-0, 3 KOs) stopped Mantas Tarvydas (15-5, 10 KOs) in the 7th round on Saturday night to successfully defend his WBO Inter-Continental light heavyweight title and win the vacant EBA (European Boxing Association) light heavyweight title at the Stadthalle, Rostock, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. The end came in the 7th after Tarvydas, 21, injured his right hand after landing a right hand to the head of Kuziemski. The fight was then stopped, giving Kuziemski the victory.

Tarvydas was dropped once in the 2nd and also given a standing eight count in the round for turning his back on Kuziemski.

Ranked #4 in the WBO, #8 in the IBF, and #10 in the WBA and WBC light heavyweight division, Kuziemski dominated the action throughout, using jabs and combinations against the offensively limited Tarvydas. After dominating the first round, blasted away at Tarvydas in the 2nd round, nailing him with a big right hand that caused Tarvydas to turn his back on him and walk to the ropes.

This led to referee Jean-Louis Legland giving Tarvydas a standing eight count. Following that, Kuziemski continued battering him around the ring, and eventually dropping him to the canvas with a straight left hand to the head. Tarvydas would escape the round but only after taking countless shots to the head.

In rounds three and four, Kuziemski went after Tarvydas, hitting him with a lot of jabs and short combinations. Although not a particularly big puncher, Kuziemski was able to generate some decent power on his short combinations. Tarvydas threw few punches in the rounds and looked to be trying to survive.

In rounds five and six, Kuziemski dominated Tarvydas with combinations, pelting him with shots and driving him from one side of the ring to another. The fight perhaps should have been stopped at this point, because Tarvydas was taking serious punishment and not fighting back.

In the 7th round, Kuziemski landed a single jab, and Tarvydas responded with a nice right hand but then instantly recoiled, turning his back and holding his right hand in pain. The referee then moved in and took a look at his hand and promptly stopped the fight at 0:30 of the 7th round.

Originally from Poland, now living in Hamburg, Germany, Kuziemski won a bronze medal at the 2003 World Amateur Championships and also won another bronze and also fought in the 2004 Olympics. At 5’11”, he’s somewhat short for a light heavyweight, but his boxing ability more than makes up for his lack of size and power.

At 31, Kuziemsk wouldn’t figure to have much time in order to make his move on one of the light heavyweight titles. If he keeps winning, he should line up a title fight in either 2009 or 2010 with one of the champions.

In other action, undefeated middleweight contender Gennady Golovkin (14-0, 11 KOs) stopped Malik Dziarra (29-4, 20 KOs) in the 3rd round of a scheduled 10-round bout. The fight was stopped in between the 2nd and 3rd rounds due to cut under the left eye of Dziarra, 34, making it hard for him see out of it.

Golovkin, 26, 2004 Middleweight Olympic Silver Medalist as a member of the Kazakhstani Olympic Team, now living in Hamburg, Germany, expertly carved the bigger, slower Dziarra up with jabs and short combinations to the head in the 1st round.

Dziarra, 34, a former amateur star with 167 wins and 23 losses while fighting in Belarus, was badly overmatched against the pinpoint punching of Golovkin, who looked like a stronger, more accurate version of Felix Sturm.

In the 2nd round, Golovkin teed off on Dziarra with combinations. Late in the round, he pounded Dziarra with a series of big shots to the head, causing a cut to open up under the left eye of Dziarra. The cut, although not bleeding a lot, seemed to cause Dziarra a lot of trouble, as he blinked constantly and couldn’t keep his left eye open without squinting out of it. Following the round, the fight was stopped by referee Timo Habighorst, giving Golovkin his 14th win.