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Knockout artist Dawid Kostecki
last Saturday became the second
current World Boxing Federation
titleholder from Poland (after
cruiserweight champion Pawel
Kolodziej) when he had to settle
for a unanimous decision over
Italian-based Romanian Giulian
Ilie in a very competitive fight
for the world light heavyweight
crown.
In a fight promoted by Knockout
Promotions and televised live by
Polsat, Kostecki won by scores
of 118:110 (from Wlodzimierz
Gulc and Leszek Jankowiak) and
117:111 (by American judge Larry
Hazzard Jr.) over Ilie, but had
to battle hard in every round to
keep Ilie from gaining the upper
hand.
While Kostecki, now 34-1 (23),
controlled the general flow of
the fight, Ilie nailed him at
the ropes as early as the third
round with a thunderous right
hand - and the Pole had to
summon all reserves to keep
upright.
The fans in Gdynia - a beautiful
East Sea resort - where on their
feet in the final two rounds,
when both fighters cut lose with
heavy artillery. However,
despite the hectic action, US
referee Eddie Cotton had little
work with the two fine
sportsmen.
The WBFed world light
heavyweight title became vacant
when Slovakian Tamas Kovacs,
16-0 (11), notified that he will
not be able to meet the required
defence deadline. |
