Murat Gassiev dominated Denis Lebedev to win the IBF cruiserweight title on Saturday on a split decision.
Gassiev knocked down Lebedev in the fifth round with a hook to the body, but the defending champion came back strongly late on as the 23-year-old Gassiev tired.
Gassiev won 116-112 and 116-111 on two scorecards, while 37-year-old veteran Lebedev took the third 114-113. The announcement sharply divided the crowd in Moscow, packed with supporters of both Russian fighters.
Photo: AP
“I prepared myself for a very tough fight. Denis is a champion and I knew what was waiting for me in the ring,” Gassiev said. “Big respect to him. I’m very happy I won today.”
Gassiev improved to 24-0 after by far the biggest fight of his five-year professional career. Lebedev, who dropped to a 29-3 career record, remains the WBA champion at cruiserweight because the fight was only recognized as being for the IBF version of the title.
“I wouldn’t say I lost that fight, but the referees have a better view and the stronger guy won,” Lebedev said. “I think the Murat Gassiev era is starting.”
Earlier, Namibia’s Julius Indongo won the IBF lightweight title by knocking out the reigning champion and heavy favorite, Eduard Troyanovsky.
Indongo’s fierce left hook 40 seconds into the fight sent the Russian flying backwards.
Troyanovsky, who was previously unbeaten and had won his previous 14 fights by knockout or retirement, needed medical attention, but appeared not to be seriously hurt.
In Paisley, Scotland, Billy Joe Saunders enjoyed a successful first defense of his WBO middleweight title against Artur Akavov, with the British boxer starting slowly, but finishing the 12-rounder strongly.
The three judges called it 116-113, 116-112 and 115-113 in favor of Saunders (24-0) at the Lagoon Leisure Centre.
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