Pavel Federov, representing Serbia, emerged victorious in the men’s 63.5kg fight with Ghana’s Faisal Abubakari. Federov, who previously defeated Armenia’s Davit Azizyan at IBA Champions’ Night Serpukhov earlier this year, was a master in his footwork. He effectively evaded most of Abubakari’s offense, and despite looking the more passive of the two, he was also more accurate with the strikes that he landed.
This was Faisal’s maiden fight in Russia and is still undefeated with a 16-0 professional record, but he had to succumb to the accurate landing punches of the Serbian.
If there is one thing the Ghanaian should take from this defeat, it is the fact that he was more the aggressor throwing more punches but were unmeasured. Hence, was not landing.
The event was organised by the International Boxing Association (IBA), christened IBA Champions Night.
The main bout
Pavel Sosulin remained undefeated professionally and in IBA Champions’ Night events, winning his fourth match under the banner tonight in Kirov against Kudratillo Abdukakhorov of Uzbekistan.
Coming in as the favourite and undefeated in eight bouts, Sosulin lived up to expectation, slowly working away at the Uzbek fighter before really twisting the screw in the fifth round, just beyond the halfway stage in the eight-round 71kg contest.