Liam Smith scored a fourth round stoppage over Chris Eubank Jr. in their scheduled 12-round middleweight fight at The AO Arena in Manchester, England.

In round four, Smith hurt Eubank with a hard right in the corner that set off a vicious six-punch barrage that featured a left uppercut and a left hook that put Eubank on the deck. Eubank was badly hurt and tried hold on, but Smith landed another flurry of punches that put Eubank down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:09.

Smith of Liverpool, ENG is 33-3-1 with 20 knockouts. Eubank is 32-3.

Riakphore Stops Glowacki in 4

Richard Riakphore stopped former world champion Kryzystof Glowacki in round four of their scheduled 10-roud cruiserweight bout.

In round four, Riakphore hurt Glowacki with a hard right hand that drove him to the ropes. Four punches later the bout was stopped at 2:44.

Riakphore of England is 16-0 with 12 knockouts. Glowacki of Poland is 32-4.

Essuman Decisions Kongo

Ekow Essuman won a 12-round majority decision over Chris Knongo in a welterweight bout.

Essuman of England won by scores of 116-113, 115-114 and 114-114 and is now 19-0. Kongo is 14-2.

Parker Decisions Massey

Former world Heavyweight champion Joseph Parker won a 10-round unanimous decision over Jack Massey.

In round eight, Massey was deducted a point for holding. In round 10, Massey was cut over his left eye.

Parker of New Zealand won by scores of 97-97, 96-93 and 97-93 and is now 31-3. Massey is 20-2.

Clarke Stops Espindola in 4

Frazer Clarke remained undefeated with a stoppage after round four of his scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout with Kevin Espindola.

Clarke of England is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Espindola of Argentina is 7-7.

Richard Riakporhe will officially launch his quest for a world title shot in 2023 when he battles former two-time WBO cruiserweight world champion Krzysztof G?owacki on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith undercard at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday, 21 January.

The undefeated Londoner (15-0, 11 KOs) has bulldozed his way into contention to challenge for a coveted crown with three knockouts in his last three fights. 

Now Riakporhe, 32, will be out to claim a major scalp in the form of Poland’s Glowacki (32-3-0, 20 KOs), whose only defeats have come against Oleksandr Usyk, Maris Briedis and Lawrence Okolie.

Riakporhe said: “I’m really pleased that he took the fight. I can test the ‘Midnight Train’ once again and everybody can see how I fare up to the test of facing a former world champion.

“He won’t be a pushover and I have to be at the top of my A game. It is going to be fireworks, believe me.”

Joining the bumper BOXXER: Unleashed undercard – live and exclusively in the UK and Republic of Ireland on Sky Sports Box Office – is Manchester’s own Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey (20-1-0, 11 KOs) who collides with former WBO world heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker (30-3-0, 21 KOs).

The 30-year-old stablemate of heavyweight king Tyson Fury returns to Manchester, scene of his Fight of the Year candidate defeat by Joe Joyce back in September, intent on getting his own world title ambitions back on track.

But Cheshire-based Massey, whose only ever defeat was inflicted by Riakporhe in 2019, will be looking to cause a monster upset against the Kiwi warrior when he steps up to the heavyweight division for the first time.

Further huge fights for this blockbuster card will be announced in due course.

BOXXER CEO & Founder, Ben Shalom said: “We’re adding two major fights – with lots more to come – to what is already a blockbuster night of boxing.

“It’s a massive test and a huge step up for Richard Riakporhe against a former two-time world champion, whose only defeats are to Usyk, Breidis, and Okolie.

“Glowacki has had a long time to prepare for this and it’s a huge cruiserweight fight that could be a headline bout. In what is a very exciting division, it’s crunch time for Richard.

“Local lad Jack Massey has been pushing for a big fight and he has jumped at this test against Joseph Parker. He has got huge support in Manchester and now he’ll be fighting one of the biggest names in boxing.

“Parker is coming back after his Fight of the Year contender with Joe Joyce and will want to show exactly what he is all about. It will be very interesting to see how Parker reacts against a hometown favourite.”

The main event – in association with Wasserman Boxing – sees bitter middleweight enemies Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith face-off in what promises to be an epic domestic clash for the ages as both rivals bid to take a giant leap towards their desired world title pursuits. 

Tickets are on sale now at Boxxer.com. But hurry – less than 20% remain available. 

BOXXER proudly presents this event in association with Village Hotels. 

Lawrence Okolie scored a 6th round stoppage over former world champion Krzystof Glowacki to win the WBO World Cruiserweight championship at the SSE Arena in London, England.

In round five, Glowacki started to bleed over his right eye. In round six, Okolie landed a stabbing right to the body that sent Glowacki on his back. He got up but the fight was stopped.

Okolie, 199.6 lbs of Hackney, England is now 16-0 with 13 knockouts. Glowacki, 195 lbs of Walcz, POL is 31-3.

“I don’t think it has sunk in yet,” said Okolie. “It’s nice hearing you say it. I’m happy. For me, it’s more of a relief. The potential has been there for over a year. I’m happy to get the victory. Now and forever, I’ll be a World Champion.

“I was just really focused on putting on a good performance. I’m physically very strong and punch hard. I’m very fit, so I can win on just those attributes at a certain level. I really focused on not rushing any shots because he’s very dangerous with counter shots and he’s very heavy-handed. His jabs were very solid, so I had to be very meticulous in keeping the distance. It was a good clean performance.

“All of the British former World Champions wishing me good fortune really touched me – shout out to them. From every run that I ever did, losing all of that weight, deciding to take a risk, having my parents support me financially when I couldn’t afford to get the bus down to the gym for training. To see it all pay off with a World Title is a dream come true – never give up. We can just go on from here. I need to keep pushing myself to prove myself as the best.”

Cordina Decisions Kourbanov

Joe Cordina remained undefeated by winning a 10-round majority decision over Faroukh Kourbanov in a junior lightweight bout.

Cordina, 132,4 lbs of Cardiff, Wales won by scores of 98-93, 96-95 and 96-96 and he is now 12-0. Kaourbanov, 130.5 lbs of Liege, BEL is 17-3.

“I didn’t think it was close at all,” said Cordina. “I think he nicked one or two rounds, maybe three. I was comfortable and I didn’t really get out of second gear. I let him work a couple of times throughout the rounds, maybe I shouldn’t have. I got a good valuable ten rounds out of that and it’s something to build on. I’ll put on a better performance in my next fight.

“It wasn’t about just going out there and trying to blow him out of there. We knew he was tough, that’s why we chose him. Both of his losses before me were to European Champions. He’s gone the distance a lot of times, we knew he was durable. We got the rounds under our belt and I felt I hurt him a couple of times. He was cute at times.

“I had 16 months out of the ring. He came to win and that’s what I wanted. The hand felt fine, I let it go a few times. I didn’t want to overdo it. Tony told me to let the shots flow so that’s what I did. I shouldn’t have any problems with my hand now. It’s time to build on that. If I want to be a World Champion, I have to get past people like Kourbanov. I didn’t really get out of second gear.”

Fowler Takes out Fortea in 3

Anthony Fowler stopped Jorge Fortea at in round three of a scheduled 10-round super welterweight fight.

At the end of round three, Fowler landed a booming right hand that sent Fortea to the canvas. With Fortea hurt, Fowler was able to land a hard combination that crashed Fortea down againm and the fight was stopped at 3:08.

Fowler, 153.8 lbs of Liverpool, ENG is 14-1 with 11 knockouts. Fortea, 152.9 lbs of Sueca, SPA is 21-3-1.

“I surprised myself, I’m not going to lie,” said Fowler. “I thought it was going to go to points. I half play myself down. He just went 12 rounds with a Russian 18-0 killer, IBF No.1. I’m boxing at a much lower level. I’m the first one to admit that.

“I get a few trolls sometimes telling me that I’m boxing at English Title level and they’re right, it’s not my fault. I’m asking for these big fights. I haven’t been getting them. I’ve said to Eddie, ‘throw me in mate, let’s see what I’m made of’. Try and get me smashed and let’s see how I get on.

“He went down from a stiff jab which I was surprised about. I heard Shane say, ‘don’t rush it’, but I knew there was ten seconds left so I thought ‘f*ck it’. I had to throw one bomb at least, luckily enough it landed. He was actually better than I thought he was going to be.

“The first round was even and in the second round he caught me with a good shot. The jab was landing but he was quite tricky. I started throwing to his body to slow him down. The finish was nice, it was a nice straight hand. I was glad he stayed down; it could have been a long night that.

“I could have cried in that ring; it means that much to me. My coach genuinely believes in me more than me. I’ve got the power in both hands and I’ve got the ability. Me and Metcalf is an unbelievable fight. I know he wants it; I’ve heard him talking about it. The whole city would be buzzing. Put me in with Garcia and I’ll beat him too.”

Scotney Decisions Gangloff

Ellie Scotney won a six-round unanimous decision Mailys Gangloff in a featherweight bout.

Scotney, 123 lbs of Catford, ENG won by a 59-55 score and is 2-0. Gangloff, 119 lbs of France is now 4-2.

“It was definitely a learning fight for me for sure,” said Scotney. “Normally in your second fight you’re going to box someone that’s not coming to win. She wasn’t an idiot; she’d had five fights. I learnt a lot from that and there’s a lot to build on. I’m thankful for that.

“She was very angry wasn’t she. She’s as tough as they come, and I think I’m going to benefit a lot from it. It’ll give me a kick up the backside. I’ve got a lot more work to put in, which I love doing. I’ve got a long way to go.

“It was my birthday this week, I’ve just turned 23, I want to push on and I know I’ve got it in me. Now it’s time to start delivering. Women’s boxing is going from strength to strength. Hopefully I can get on the undercard of one of the big ones in May.”

Billam-Smith Decisions Ducar

Chris Billam-Smith won a 10-round unanimous decision over Vasil Ducar in a cruiserweight bout.

In round two, Billam-Smith started bleeding from the mouth. In round four, Billam-Smith hurt Ducar with a counter right and then jumped on him with solid punches for a knockdown.

In round six, Billam-Smith dropped Ducar with a body shot.

Billam-Smith, 199 lbs of Bournemouth, ENG won by sores of 99-90 twice and 97-92 and is now 12-1. Ducar, 198.8 lbs of Brno, Czech Republic is 9-4-1.

“I felt comfortable in there at all times, even when he had his little spurts,” said Smith. “It was really good for me. I thought I was going to become the first man to stop him. I had him down a couple of times, but he was a tough tough man. If I was going to rate it out of ten, I’d probably give myself a 6.5 or 7 out of ten.

“I’ve got plenty to work on in the gym and I can improve a lot. The main thing was getting the win. I got that and I’m happy. I hit him with a great body shot, I felt it really sink in, and then I dropped him to the head as well. He was dipping and I was trying to hit him just over the top of his gloves. Those Czechs are tough and all respect to him.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get the stoppage, but the main important thing was the win. I switched off a couple of times during the fight because I felt very comfortable. I let my hands get leaky probably two or three times during the fight and he clipped me, but I wasn’t buzzed or hurt at all. I saw everything coming so you can always take something out of the shots.

“I’ve definitely got improvements to make. That was my 13^th fight and I’m always about improving every day in the ring. I’m very grateful to have such great stablemates and such a great coach. I’d love to get the Tommy McCarthy fight as soon as possible.”

Ali Decisions Connolly

Ramla Ali remained undefeated with a decision over Bec Connolly in a sex-round featherweight bout.

In round five, Ali was cut around her left eye from an elbow.

Ali, 126.6 lbs of Bethenal Green, ENG won by a 60-55 score and is now 2-0. Connolly, 126.5 lbs of Swindon, ENG is 3-9.

“Apart from the shiner on my face I’m very satisfied,” Ali told Matchroom. “Regardless of what the scales said, I gave away about half a stone. I weighed-in in like two pairs of jogging bottoms just so I could match the weight. I felt the weight difference for sure, but I tried to not let her use her weight advantage against me.

“I tried to maintain the centre of the ring as much as possible, which I did. I’m really satisfied with how I performed. She’s tough but I got it done. Jobi always says you can’t beat the feet – and he’s right! I was always moving off from the double jab. We work a lot on footwork, and I feel like I did really well with my footwork.

“She was the one calling me out saying that she wanted to fight me. Don’t then turn around and complain that you’ve had short notice. You’re a professional, if I was calling someone out, I’d be ready any time. She said she had a couple of days’ notice. I don’t know what to say about that really.

“Everyone is nervous before getting in the ring because it means so much to you. You want to prove yourself and you want to show all of your friends and family that are watching at home that you’re worthy of watching. You want to put on a good performance and have a good fight. The moment that bell went all of the nerves went and I was razor focused on getting the job done. The Olympic dream is still alive and I’m still hopeful to go, and hopeful to compete. I’m still hoping to progress in my professional career.”

18:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK

8 x 3 mins Middleweight contest
BRADLEY REA 11st 5lbs 0oz v LEE CUTLER 11st 4lbs 5oz
(Stretford, England)                    (Bournemouth, England)

followed by

19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS & DAZN

6 x 2 mins Featherweight contest
RAMLA ALI 9st 0lbs 6oz v BEC CONNOLLY 9st 0lbs 5oz
(Bethnal Green, England via Somalia)     (Swindon, England)

followed by

10 x 3 mins vacant WBA Continental Cruiserweight Title
CHRIS BILLAM-SMITH 14st 3lbs 0oz v VASIL DUCAR 14st 2lbs 8oz
(Bournemouth, England)                       (Brno, Czech Republic)

followed by

6 x 2 mins International Featherweight contest
ELLIE SCOTNEY 8st 10lbs 13oz v MAILYS GANGLOFF 8st 6lbs 13oz
(Catford, England)                          (Aix-les-Bains, France)

followed by

10 x 3 mins WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight Title 
ANTHONY FOWLER 10st 13lbs 13oz v JORGE FORTEA 10st 12lbs 7oz
(Liverpool, England)                               (Sueca, Spain)

followed by

10 x 3 mins International Super-Featherweight contest
JOE CORDINA 9st 6lbs 6oz v FAROUKH KOURBANOV 9st 4lbs 8oz
(Cardiff, Wales)                         (Liege, Belgium)

followed by

12 x 3 mins vacant WBO Cruiserweight World Title
LAWRENCE OKOLIE 14st 3lbs 6oz v KRZYSTOF GLOWACKI 13st 13lbs 13oz
(Hackney, England)                             (Walcz, Poland)

Krzysztof Glowacki says there are weaknesses in Lawrence Okolie’s game and has promised to take ‘his’ WBO Cruiserweight World Title back home with him to Poland after he beats the Hackney contender at The SSE Arena, Wembley this Saturday, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Glowacki (31-2, 19 KOs) climbed off the canvas to score an eleventh round knockout over Germany’s Marco Huck to claim the WBO crown in 2015 before widely outpointing America’s Steve Cunningham at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn in his first defence.

‘Glowka’, who is trained by Fiodor ?apin, was originally scheduled to face former Team GB star ‘The Sauce’ on December 12, however, the week prior to the fight, Glowacki, who is rated No. 3 by The Ring at 200 pounds, tested positive for COVID-19.

The 34-year-old former Interim belt holder, who suffered a controversial stoppage loss to Mairis Briedis in Riga last time out, has since been given a clean bill of health and is chomping at the bit for his ring return following a 21-month hiatus.

“I’m very happy I can finally fight after such a long layoff,” said Glowacki. “I was absolutely devastated when I found out I was Covid positive, but every cloud has a silver lining. Now I feel better than in December. When I came back to training after Covid, I had some stamina issues, but everything is OK now. I feel pumped up and ready.

“I’m hugely motivated for this fight. I’m going to have a great opponent in front of me who has big ambitions of his own. I heard Okolie had some plans to unify, but he has to beat me and it’s not going to happen. I will retrieve my belt and I will bring it back to Poland. I will become WBO World Champion for the third time in my career, there is no other option.

“Okolie is unbeaten, he’s big and he’s strong. He has long arms and a huge reach, but I’ve noticed some weaknesses that you will see on the night. I’m ready for this fight and I’m ready to beat him. You will see on Saturday how I will beat him up. I’ve had a lot of sparring partners who were tall and uncomfortable. 

“The support I receive from the Polish people will always motivate me. It’s a shame that they cannot support me in person because a lot of people would have turned out to support me in London, but instead they will be cheering me on in front of their televisions. I’ll bring the belt home for them.”

Okolie vs. Glowacki tops a huge night of action in London, Welsh Super-Featherweight Joe Cordina (11-0, 7 KOs) meets Belgium’s Faroukh Kourbanov (17-2, 3 KOs) over ten rounds, Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (13-1, 10 KOs) returns against Spain’s Jorge Fortea (21-2-1, 7 KOs) with the WBA International Title on the line, Bournemouth Cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith (11-1, 10 KOs) looks to keep his KO streak going against Vasil Ducar (9-3-1, 8 KOs), Ramla Ali (1-0) faces Bec Connolly (3-8) in her second pro fight, Catford Featherweight Ellie Scotney (1-0) meets Mailys Gangloff (4-1, 1 KO) over six rounds and Stretford Middleweight Bradley Rea (9-0, 3 KOs) takes on Bournemouth’s Lee Cutler (7-0, 4 KOs).

Lawrence Okolie is confident of winning his first World Title in style by stopping former World Champion Krzysztof Glowacki when they clash for the vacant WBO Title at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday March 20, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

The pair were due to clash on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s emphatic ninth round knockout win over Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev in December but Glowacki was forced to withdraw from their contest after he returned a positive COVID-19 test.

‘The Sauce’ (15-0, 12 KOs) made short work of late stand-in opponent Nikodem Jezewski to stay on course for a shot at the WBO crown, demolishing the Pole in two brutal rounds with an impressive show of explosive power.

Okolie hasn’t put a foot wrong since turning professional in 2017 following an impressive stint the amateurs that saw him represent Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the Hackney contender believes that March 20 will be the first step on his journey to unifying the Cruiserweight division before moving up to Heavyweight. 

“Five years ago I was in Hackney and had no real plan or idea,” said Okolie. “I was boxing but I wasn’t on the GB team and I’d never had an international fight. I was just boxing and working. Five years down the line I’ve become a Team GB boxer, gone to the Olympics, turned pro and won all of these Titles. Now I’m fighting for a World Title.

“It feels like it’s going to be a massive statement winning this fight, not just for me but for the area that I come from, the type of person that I am and people that have dealt with bullying. I’m not here to be a hero or anything like that but I’ve had to deal with a lot of stuff, and a lot of people can relate to those kinds of struggles. It’s nice to know that people are motivated by it. 

“It will be entertaining for fans because there’s going to be someone trying to really put it on me. I believe I’m going to win by stoppage. I’m just excited to watch the highlights of the fight afterwards to see what shot I did it with. This is his opportunity to win what he believes is his Title back. He can be as strong as he likes against whoever he’s boxed so far but there’s no physical chance he’s stronger than me.

“Although he’s got a lot of attributes, I can’t see any of them working against me. I think he’ll be confident. He’s a game guy and probably thinks it’s my first time at world level. One of my main attributes is my mental toughness. I have the ability to cope with any fight. I look forward to it. 

“This has been a long time coming. It’s been a year since I knew that I was mandatory for the World Title. I’ve been mentally preparing for this for a year. We’ve had to deal with lockdowns and now I’m excited to get it over and done with, get the victory and become a World Champion. Physically I’m getting into my prime now. Mentally, I’ve dealt with the excitement of the occasion. Now it’s just a formality. 

“If, god willing, I’m able to win here, I need a unification fight next. It’s about pushing on every time. I won the Commonwealth and pushed on, I won the British and pushed on, I won the European and I pushed on. After I win the World Title I want to unify and move up to Heavyweight. It’s all there, it just keeps me motivated in the gym and pushing for more.”

Okolie vs. Glowacki tops a huge night of action in London, Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (13-1, 10 KOs) returns against Spain’s Jorge Fortea (21-2-1, 7 KOs) with the WBA International Title on the line, Welsh Super-Featherweight Joe Cordina (11-0, 7 KOs) meets Belgium’s Faroukh Kourbanov (17-2, 3 KOs) for the WBA Continental Title, Bournemouth Cruiserweight Chris Billam-Smith (11-1, 10 KOs) looks to keep his KO streak going against Vasil Ducar (9-3-1, 8 KOs), Ramla Ali (1-0) has her second professional fight, Catford’s Ellie Scotney (1-0) meets Mailys Gangloff (4-1, 1 KO) and Stretford Middleweight Bradley Rea (9-0, 3 KOs) takes on Bournemouth’s Lee Cutler (7-0, 4 KOs).

Lawrence Okolie will take on Krzysztof Glowacki for the vacant WBO Cruiserweight World Title on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Kubrat Pulev at The O2 in London on Saturday December 12, shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on DAZN in more than 200 countries and territories including Poland. 

 Okolie (14-0, 11 KOs) claimed the EBU European Cruiserweight Title with a seventh-round stoppage of the previously unbeaten Yves Ngabu in October last year, capping a successful 2019 which saw four knockouts in as many fights for the Hackney man. 
 
Glowacki (31-2, 19 KOs) knocked out Germany’s Marco Huck in eleven rounds to win the WBO World Title in 2015 before widely outpointing Steve Cunningham in his first defence. He suffered the first defeat of his career against Ukrainian pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk in his next fight.
 
The Polish southpaw earned the interim WBO Title by decisioning Maxim Vlasov at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago in November 2018 but was stopped in three rounds by Latvia’s Mairis Briedis last year in a challenge for the full title. 
 
“It has been a long and hard road to get here,” said Okolie. “I’m very excited and blessed to have this opportunity; I’ll be grabbing it with both hands. I will become Britain’s next World Champion on December 12. 
 
“Glowacki is a great fighter and he is someone that I looked up to when I first started boxing. I believe he won the World Title the same year I was pushing to try and get on the Olympic team when I’d had 15 amateur fights. 
 
“He’s a former two-time World Champion and has only lost twice to two elite opponents. He’s going to be my biggest test on paper as a professional. He is a consummate professional and will do everything in his power to win.
 
“I have to be on my A game, and I will be. I’m happy that throughout my career I have faced the best opposition that I could have at every stage. This is just another one of those.”
 
“I will retrieve my belt and I will bring it back to Poland,” said Glowacki. “I will become WBO World Champion for the third time in my career, there is no other option. I am prepared for a hard battle because Lawrence Okolie is big, strong and awkward, but the belt is mine and I will bring it back home.”

“In just 14 fights Lawrence Okolie has done it all and now it’s the moment of truth,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Britain has the chance to crown another World Champion but Lawrence has it all to do against a great fighter and former World Champ in Krysztof Glowacki and someone who has mixed consistently at the top level. This is going to be a huge night and a huge moment for Lawrence – we can’t wait.”

“The time has come for Lawrence,” said 258 Athlete Advisor Anthony Joshua. “This is a huge opportunity, one I know he will rise to. He is about to fight at the most elite level possible. He will prepare diligently and be ready. 

“The whole team at 258 MGT are behind him. We are proud to have helped guide him inside and out of the ring since his professional debut to his first World Title opportunity in under 4 years.”
 
Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) defends his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO World Titles against Mandatory Challenger Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) on a huge night of action, with more fights to be announced soon.

The WBO has ordered a rematch between cruiserweight champion Mairis Breidis and former champion Krzystof Glowacki, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The rematch comes after a  lengthy appeals process brought by Glowacki in July following his controversial third-round knockout loss to Briedis on June 15 in the semifinals of the World Boxing Super Series.

“This was a win for Glowacki. A split decision win, but a win nonetheless,” attorney Scott Shaffer, who represents Glowacki, told ESPN on Saturday. “Briedis must give Glowacki an immediate rematch or else move forward in the World Boxing Super Series without the WBO championship. I know Glowacki wants the rematch and is looking forward to settling matters with Briedis in the ring.”

“Under the specific circumstances of this case, Glowacki should be given the opportunity of competing for the WBO (cruiserweight title) immediately,” the ruling said. “Making Glowacki wait 120 days after the competition of the WBSS tournament is an inadequate remedy, even though in the right direction. Among the factors considered that moves us to conclude that the remedy provided is inadequate is that the final of the WBSS tournament has not yet been scheduled.

“On the other hand, allowing Briedis to defend the (title) in the finals of the WBSS tournament constitutes a reward for having won the WBO title by violating the WBO regulations.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the WBO found some errors in the recent Mairis Briedis – Krszytof Glowacki fight.

Briedis claimed the WBO 200-pound world title from Glowacki by third-round knockout on June 15 in the semifinals of the World Boxing Series tournament in Riga, Latvia, Briedis’ hometown, but the result was highly controversial.

Although it cannot change the result, the WBO, in a ruling issued on Friday, “strongly recommends” that the World Boxing Super Series winner defend the title against Glowacki within 120 days after the completion of the tournament, which is expected to conclude in November. Briedis is due to meet Yunier Dorticos, who won a vacant belt in the June 15 co-feature, to unify their world titles in the final of the eight-man tournament.

The WBO said that Raimond Zeps, representing Briedis, responded to Glowacki’s protest and said that the point deduction for the elbow was “satisfactory” and that Glowacki should also have been subject to a point deduction for the blow behind the head. Also, Zeps said that Briedis should not be punished for fighting after the bell because both men were doing do.

“Mr. Zeps, on behalf of Briedis, affirms and welcomes a rematch against Glowacki after the completion of the WBSS,” the WBO wrote in its ruling.

The WBO said that it lacks jurisdiction to change the result, which can only be done by the Latvia Boxing Federation, but it added that it “acknowledges that a clear misapplication of the rules of boxing occurred” and recommended the WBSS winner fight Glowacki next.

Mairis Briedis stopped  Krzysztof Glowacki  in three rounds to win the WBO Cruiserweight title and advance to the World Boxing Super Series at Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia.

Briedis dropped Glowacki three times and the fight was stopped at 27 seconds of round three.

Briedis of Latvia is 26-1 with 19 knockouts.  Glowacki of Poland is 31-2.

Yuniel Dorticos stopped Andrew Tabiti in round 10 to win the IBF Cruiserweight title and advance the the finals of the World Boxing Super Series

In round six, Doricos was cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt.  Tabiti was docked a point in the same round for holding.

In round ten, Dorticos landed a booming right that sent crashing on his back and the fight was over at 2:33.

Dorticos is now 24-1 with 22 knockouts.  Tabiti is now 17-1.

Ricards Bolotniks stopped Gason Gassanov in round six of their scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

In round two, Gassanov dropped Bolotniks with a hard counter right.

Bolotniks is 14-5-1 with six knockouts. Gassanov is 16-8-1.

Nkolajs Grisunins won a six-round unanimous decision over Vaclav Pejsar in a cruiserweight bout.

In round two, Pejsar dropped Grisunins with a right hand that was followed by three crunching blows on the ropes. When Grisunins got to his feet he was on unsteady legs and bleeding from his nostrils. In the next round, Grisunins turned the tables as he dropped Pejsar with a body shot. Pejsar was hurt and went down again with a hard combination. Pejsar was all over Grisunins.

Scores were 58-53 on all cards for Grisunins, 201,7 lbs of Latvia and is now 11-1-1. Pejsar, 198.4 lbs of the Czech Republic is 14-8.

Jevgenijs Aleksejevs won a six-round split decision over Siarhei Khamitski in a super middleweight bout.

Aleksejevs, 170.8 lbs of Riga, LAT won two cards 58-57, while Khamitski took a 58-57.

Aleksejevs is 11-0. Khamitski, 166.8 lbs of Belarus is 32-18-3.

The WBSS Semifinal bout between Mairis Briedis and Krzystof Glowacki is set for June 15, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The fight will take place on June 15 (DAZN) at the Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia.

“I can’t wait for the opportunity to get to the final,” Briedis said. “We are going to have another boxing celebration in Latvia that will be watched by the whole world and give me a second chance in front of my people to achieve what I missed the first season.”

“I can’t wait to get in the ring in Riga,” Glowacki said. “I’m confident I’ll beat Mairis on June 15 and move on and win the WBSS tournament and the Muhammad Ali Trophy [which is awarded to the winner].”

If ever a fighter were able to enjoy a homefield advantage despite fighting hailing from the other side of the globe, it would be Krzyzstof Glowacki (30-1) of Poland competing in Chicago.

The heavy Polish contingent generated a pulsating energy from the introductions all the way to the final bell. Russia’s Maksim Vlasov(42-2) however, was not fazed by the environment as he met Glowacki in the center of the ring for a high octane opening to the bout. Both fighters engaged in a game of high speed chess, with Vlasov looking to work his right hand through the southpaw guard of Glowacki.

The third round saw a bit of controversy when Vlasov hit the canvas following a physical exchange. The knockdown was counted, prompting immediate protest from Vlasov who believed he was pushed. The pro Glowacki crowd obviously reveled in the ruling, and chants for the Polish star carried into the following round.

The back and forth action began to take its toll entering the second half of the contest webbanki.ru. Both fighters showed signs of fatigue to close out the sixth round. Glowacki then found another opportunity to build some momentum in the seventh when he landed a crisp left hand power shot that stopped Vlasov in his tracks.

Vlasov carried a low hanging left hand into the 8th round, inviting Glowacki to take a few shots at the loose guard, but the Russian veteran was able to slip the attack and find some offensive success with Glowacki now in the pocket. The high-volume strategy of Vlasov contrasted that of Glowacki, who stayed on the outside like a sniper in the ninth round and fired crisp power shots one at a time.

Both fighters put fatigue on the back burner for the championship rounds, trading sharp combinations to the pleasure of the heavily engaged crowd. Vlasov found a home for a series of one-two combinations in the twelfth, while Glowacki launched heavy right hooks. A mutual respect was evident as the fighters embraced following the final bell.

Scorecards read 118-110, 117-110 115-112 in favor of the crowd favorite Krzysztof Glowacki. Glowacki will now meet Maris Briedis in the Super Series semi-finals.

Briedis outlasts Mikaelian

The first in a pair of World Boxing Super Series quarterfinal match-ups saw Mairis Briedis(23-1) and Noel Mikaelian (23-1) working to find their range for a majority of the contest.

The Latvian, Briedis looked just a bit more comfortable with the fight’s spacing and pace, peppering Mikaelian with jabs and short rights. Mikaelian could never quite establish a rhythm, failing to land with a wide overhand right at several points in the early rounds, until the third when a clubbing shot drew some fan reaction. The crowd-pleasing shot didn’t do much to slow down Briedis, who pressed forward with a clean attack to close out the round.

Mikaelian’s missed right hooks turned into rabbit punches one too many times, resulting in a docked point in the fourth round. Despite the deduction, the German cruiserweight found some success in the middle rounds with a busy work-rate and decent inside positioning.

Briedis found himself on the business end of a point deduction himself in the 10th, when he was penalized for excessive holding. In the midst of the late round clinches Briedis continued to work on establishing an offense, wrapping a right hook around Mikaelian’s turned back in the twelfth round.

Scorecards leaned heavily in favor of the new WBC diamond champion and now Super Series semi-finalist Mairis Breidis with tallies of 116-110, 115-111, 114-112 UD. A result that drew a mixed reaction from the UIC Pavilion crowd.

Boyd UD4 Delgado

Deshawn Boyd of Fort Wayne, IN out-boxed Chicago product Marcos Delgado in a four round lightweight bout. Boyd picked up a victory with scores of 40-35 on all three cards.

Mendez KO4 Harris

Super lightweights Genaro Mendez (12-4-1 6 ko’s) and Tyrone Harris(26-12 16 ko’s) warmed up the Chicago crowd with a competitive affair. Mendez utilized the jab effectively, catching Harris lunging at several points early on. The fighters continued to trade combinations, with Mendez generating the better momentum throughout the bout. The exclamation point came with Mendez landing a picture perfect counter left hook that dropped Harris, prompting a stoppage from referee Mark Nelson.

Saldana KO1 Miller

Local cruiserweight Owen Saldana(debut) brought an abundance of fanfare to the UIC pavilion. Saldana’s cheering section provided a thunderous energy as the fighters were introduced. Saldana did not disappoint his following, making short work of Joe Miller(1-2) of Florida. Saldana worked the jab effectively before connecting on a big straight right hand that sent Miller into the ropes. Saldana showed veteran level killer instinct with a brutal flurry of power shots that prompted a first round stoppage, to the pleasure of his already strong fan base.

Mann UD10 Zubov

Cruiserweights Artur Mann (14-0)and Alexey Zubov(16-1) wasted no time heating things up in their bout.

Sporting Chicago Bull inspired trunks, Mann put Zubov into survival mode early on in the first round, finding a home for a left hook followed up with a rear uppercut that wobbled Zubov. With Zubov vulnerable, Mann opened up the arsenal, scoring a knockdown off of a straight right hand. Mann landed another clean right at the first round’s closing bell that sent Zubov to the canvas once again.

Zubov weathered the storm and was able to string together effective punches in the second round, even wobbling Mann with a right hand of his own.

The tide turned to an extent in the middle rounds, with Zubov keep thing competitive, before eventually eating another straight right hand that resulted in a knockdown in the seventh round. A gritty effort in the closing rounds from Zubov was not enough to close the scorecard gap, as Mann picked up the unanimous decision win.

Poland’s Krzysztof Glowacki and Russia’s Maksim Vlasov have studied each other thoroughly before their Ali Trophy Cruiserweight Quarter-Final November 10 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

Tickets are available via TicketMaster.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

“I’ve watched a lot of his (Vlasov’s) fights together with my coach and we have tactics ready,” said 32-year-old Glowacki (30-1, 19 KOs). “Of course, he does have a lot of weak points but he also has a lot of strengths.

“But I’m not focused on him, really. I don’t care what he does, what he eats or whether he sleeps a lot. I’m mostly interested in myself and what I do. Because I know that if I give everything, I’ll win.

“What am I bringing to the tournament? My faith for the most part, my faith that I’m going to win and I know there can only be one champion.”

Vlasov, a fighter with success at multiple weights, is well prepared for the challenge.

“I know a lot about my opponent Krzysztof Glowacki,” said 32-year-old Vlasov (42-2, 25 KOs). “I watched many of his fights, he is a difficult and dangerous boxer. He is a fighter who can shoot at any moment and one always need to watch him and stay focused.

“At this stage of my career, this fight against Glowacki is key. It’s either do or die.”

Latvia’s Mairis Briedis vs Germany’s Noel Mikaelian and Krzysztof Glowacki vs Maksim Vlasov are the two Cruiserweight Quarter-Finals on an incredible doubleheader when the World Boxing Super Series comes to the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the quarter-finals LIVE on DAZN, the global sports streaming platform. To sign up for a one-month free trial, fans can visit DAZN.com or download the DAZN app to their preferred connected device.