Slovenian crowd-favorite Jan Zaveck became a two-time, two-weight World Champion on Saturday night, April 11, when he took the World Boxing Federation (WBF) World Super Welterweight title from defending titlist Sasha Yengoyan from Belgium.
A former IBF World Welterweight ruler, Zaveck used all his experience and skills to win the WBF crown with a unanimous decision after a good, action-packed fight, delighting more than 5000 loud and enthusiastic fans at a sold-out Tabor Arena in Maribor.
Despite suffering a cut right eye in the first round, Zaveck was very impressive in the first half of the bout, out-boxing Yengoyan who seemed a bit intimidated by the atmosphere of the arena, but the Armenian-born Belgian, who was also cut in round five, came back strong in the second half.
After twelve exiting, and at times bloody, rounds, judges Brahim Ait Aadi, Jean-Marcel Narts and Zvonko Rukavina scored the contest 115-114, 117-112 and 118-112, all in favor of Jan Zaveck. Yengoyan had a point deducted in round eleven for a head-but.
The new WBF World Super Welterweight Champion, known as “Mr. Sypathicus”, improved his impressive professional ledger to 35-3 (19), while Yengoyan, who won the title by dethroning Brazilian Anderson Clayton last October, falls to 31-2-1 (21).
Both boxers put on very spirited effort, fought as warriors, and showed utmost respect for each other before, during and after the fight, which could be considered a good candidate for WBF fight of the year. And a rematch would certainly not be frowned upon by fans.
The fight was promoted by Tomaz Barada, and televised live in Slovenia by TVSLO Sport.
