For the first time in a few years, boxers from Russia and Ukraine - Alexander Povetkin and Vasily Lomachenko performed in one ring. And both won

At the O2 sports arena in London, the champion battles of Vasily Lomachenko and Luke Campbell and Alexander Povetkin and Hughi Fury took place. For the first time in recently, boxers from Ukraine and Russia ended up in the same ring. And if Lomachenko persistently conquers the title behind the title, then Povetkin fights for the return of his division to the elite; Today he is the oldest boxer in the five rating. The fighters showed a beautiful box: scrap is still the best in the world, and the Russian Knight regained the place of the applicant for the championship belt in the main categories. At the request of Medusa, sports journalist Vladimir Maksakov tells about the background of the battle and its denouement.

How boxers went to these battles

Povetkin

The professional fate of the Russian heavyweight of Alexander Povetkin was not easy. In the top of the absolute weight category, he entered the wake of the “invasion from the East” - this is what they called a breakthrough of heavyweights from the former Soviet Union to the world championship that happened in the zero. Two of his main fights - with Vladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua - the Russian Knight lost. Both rivals represented functional complexity for Povetkin: tall and long -armed, they personified the universal (until recent years) type of heavyweight at the beginning of the 21st century. The Russian boxer, inferior to them in the growth and scope of his hands, was distinguished by great strength and good equipment, but still could not defeat.

However, today Povetkin retains very high positions in all ratings, Meduza told the editor of the authoritative publication about BoxRec boxing Tom Connell: “Formally, his record remains sufficient for the fight for the world title,” the expert said. In addition, Povetkin is a very popular boxer, including in the West. Fights with his participation are one of the most spectacular, they always attract the attention of amateurs and professionals and collect the cashier. The General Secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation Umar Kremlev, the General Secretary of the Boxing Federation of Russia, agrees with this: “Alexander is a world -class boxer, the world champion and the Olympic champion. The whole planet knows him. He could defeat Deontaeus Wilder, ”Kremlin believes.

At the beginning of his career, Povetkina was trained by Teddy Atlas, one of the outstanding specialists who once helped Mike Tyson. With Tyson, the Russian boxer was also compared by the coach and father of his opponent in the battle on O2 Peter Fury; According to him, he also could squeeze a 100-kilogram bar ten times at the age of 13.

The director of the boxing department of the English broadcasting of the ESPN sports television channel Richard Goodheu told Medusa that the English public fell in love with Sasha, fans from the UK even congratulated him on the upcoming fortieth anniversary. According to him, the British like the courage of the Russian knight, which does not spare itself at all - this is not always characteristic of heavy weight boxers.

“Now they argue more and more who is the best heavyweight. Until we have an absolute world champion according to all, top boxers will meet each other in a circle. In his own words that Povetkin is not going to leave boxing, he retains intrigue in his category, ”says Tom Connell.

Fury

The British box has recently given the world of several champions, the brightest of them - Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, who won at different times by Vladimir Klitschko. But both outstanding heavyweights lost the advantage quickly enough: Tyson Fury fell into depression and was carried away by drugs (though now he has returned and heads the most prestigious ratings), and Anthony Joshua sensationally lost at the beginning of this summer to the Mexican Andy Ruis.

Tyson's cousin Hugh Fury is trying to imitate a relative in many ways, but far behind him. However, his coach and father Peter Fury says the opposite: “Fury brothers are like Klitschko. Only in English. There are also two of them, they are also huge, but on occasion they can behave like English fans. And they came for a very long time. "

Lomachenko

Vasily Lomachenko today set one of the unique records in the world of boxing - he became the world champion in three weight categories in just a few years. Bob Dublde from the Luke Campbell team, the enemy of Loma, told Medusa that the British dream of his defeat “in every battle”: “When will he finally cease to be invincible?” Today, the goal of Vasily Lomachenko is obvious - he wants to collect the entire collection of champion belts in his weight. Now only one is missing.

The intrigue by the battle of Lomachenko and Campbell also gave the fact that both of them were champions of the Olympic Games in London in 2012. True, in different weight categories.

Richard Gudhaw says: “We came an idea - why not arrange the performances of the Russian and Ukrainian one evening? This will show once again that boxing and sport are outside politics. We have found two outstanding boxers from Russia and Ukraine, from which we are waiting for the performance of the highest class. It is important for us that they will perform in the same ring. The contrast between heavy and lightweight is still important. ”

Campbell

Ironically, Luke Campbell has the same advantage over the Ukrainian as Fury above Povetkin: in the growth and length of the hands. He is hungry to the main world titles - the boxer was not the world champion, and goes to the ring against the crowbar initially in the role of the weakest boxer. His coach Shane McGigan considers this a plus: “He is psychologically emancipated. In a sense, he has nothing to lose. We looked at all the battles of Vasily and came to the conclusion that the hatch could defeat him. He is a brave fighter with excellent skills, and his professional experience is even richer. ”

How the battle went

Povetkin - Fury

From the first round, the battle pattern was determined. Hugh Fury lowered his hands, worked as a corps, was faster, pierced jabs , but at the same time did not cause much harm to Alexander Povetkin. In case of danger, he left or immediately cumdy , obviously hoping to exhaust the enemy and maintain strength for the last rounds. The Russian boxer had a good positional advantage. The only blow that the British was successful over and over again was not a very clean short side at the exit from Klinch, due to which he took his glasses.

In addition, during the Klins of Hugh, Alexander beat the back of his head - there were three such episodes, but they did not take off his glasses. Obviously, he simply did not have enough Arsenal to contrast the former, but very experienced champion with something serious. As a result, with the exception of single blows, he did not succeed. In the 12th round, losing to Alexander Povetkin on glasses, Hughi Fury was forced to go exchange , as a result, the Russian was better in all respects. The victory of the Russian knighting by the unanimous decision of the judges (117-111) was convincing: he regained his championship and chances of new titles, including, possibly, in battle with Deontey Wilder.

Lomachenko - Campbell

The battle of Vasily Lomachenko with Luke Campbell was more one -sided. Even the most skeptical experts are difficult not to admit that the Ukrainian boxer today is the best fighter, regardless of weight categories, he once again proved it.

In the first round, almost in the mocking manner of Loma, he did not inflict a single blow to the British and even allowed him to get into the target once, so that Luke Campbell took this round - he didn’t succeed more. In the remaining eleven rounds, the Ukrainian boxer methodically increased the advantage in speed and impacts, drove the British along the rope and several times was close to knocking the enemy. In the last round, Luke Campbell went Va-Bank and hit the champion below the waist, and at the very end, fleeing from the knockout, and completely did something similar to the wrestling passage. However, this did not help, the score (119-108 (twice) and 118-108 V) was in favor of Vasily Lomachenko. The judges did not take off the glasses from the British for unsportsmanlike behavior in the 12th round.

Vladimir Maksakov