By Jim Dower: In a so-so performance, #5 IBF lightweight contender Ivan Redkach (18-0, 14 KOs) stayed unbeaten last Friday night in beating Takubu Amidu (19-6-2, 17 KOs) by a 6th round stoppage at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, California, USA.
Redkach, 28, knocked the 30-year-old Amidu down twice in the 6th. In between the 6th and 7th, Amidu complained about an injury and said he didn’t want to continue fighting.
Redkach didn’t look all that great though, as he was hit constantly by Amidu in a fight that was a lot tougher than it should have been. Even after Redkach knocked Amidu down in the 6th, he was still taking a lot of flush head shots. Redkach’s lack of hand speed, defense and punching power left him vulnerable to a lot of shots by Amidu while he was closing out the show in the 6th. The first knockdown by Redkach in the 6th was from a right hand. Amidu was slow in responding to the referee’s instructions after the knockdown, and it was surprising that the fight was allowed to continue. Moments later, Redkach knocked Amidu down with a right hand.
In the 5th, Amidu lost a point for a low blow.
Redkach is a decent slugger in the Marcos Maidana mold, but he lacks the talent that will get him to the top. I don’t see Redkach as being in the same level as guys like Mickey Bey, Terence Crawford, Richard Abril, Miguel Vazquez, Jorge Linares or Yuriorkis Gamboa. He is interesting to watch due to his slugging, but the talent seems to be severely lacking. Redkach’s lack of defense is going to get him hurt once he stops fighting 2nd and 3d tier opposition and steps up against the 1st tier fighters. Right now, Showtime seems to be backing a horse that will come up short in a major way when he finally gets put in with an opponent with as pulse.
In other mismatches on the card, undefeated middleweight prospect Ievgen Khytrov (8-0, 8 KOs) stayed unbeaten with a 3rd round stoppage win over a badly over-matched Maurice Louishome (8-1-1, 4 KOs). The referee halted the fight in the 3rd with Louishome on his feet and taking one-way punishment. In the 1st round, Louishome was knocked down by Khytrov.
Khytrov showed good power, but really poor hand speed and foot work. He’s very, very slow of hand and feet, and it’s going to be difficult for him to be able to compete with the better middleweights when he gets to that point. He’s a good slugger against the opposition he’s being fed, but he’ll be in big trouble if they put him in with someone who can move and who knows how to jab.
In junior middleweight action, unbeaten Alantez Fox (14-0-1, 4 Kos) defeated Patrick Day (9-1-1, 5 KOs) by an 8 round decision. The judges scored the fight 76-76, 78-74 and 80-72 for Fox. Day landed the harder shots in the fight, but the much taller Fox was the busier fighter and was able to use his size to jab his way to a dull victory.
Super featherweight Tevin Farmer (18-4-1, 4 Kos) defeated Viktor Chemous (15-2-1, 5 KOs) by an 8 round decision.
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