By Alexey Sukachev

It took flamboyant promoter Vladimir Hryunov just five days to announce a show and to conduct a small but nicely packed little card at Tramplin restaurant in Moscow, Russia. The event was also supported by “The Golden Gloves Award” and a number of showbiz activities.

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In the main boxing match-up of the night, lightly-regarded but heavily supported by local Azerbaijani diaspora former amateur standout Ramal Amanov (8-0) showed his infamous spoiler skills at his fullest, decisioning Panamanian import William Gonzalez (23-9-1, 8 KOs) in an ugly fight for a vacant WBA Fedelatin light welterweight title.

Amanov, 30, is a 2005 Minyang WC silver medalist, while Gonzalez, 32, was fighting for the very first time in over three years. The fight, however, showed that he still remains more of a fighter than Amanov.

The latter chose not to take any risks or to allow any action, which could hurt him in every way. Instead, Amanov firstly utilized his footwork, then started to simply run backwards along the ropes, making Gonzalez miss and countering him with pitty-pat shots that did little damage. Not that the Panamanian, managed by Roberto Duran Jr., was slow – he wasn’t – but he couldn’t compete with lateral speed and spoiler skills of the Azerbaijani.

Amanov forced Gonzalez to jump forward with his punches at the certain moments of the fight but he couldn’t land his shots cleanly, and his lack of the punching power was also on the display. The Azerbaijani turned a bit more aggressive, landing more shots in closing rounds, though still preserving his safety-first boxing style and boxing (seemingly intentionally) amateurishly.

Referee Alexander Kalinkin also cooperated, issuing a questionable knockdown in round six, when Amanov landed his punch at the back of the head of Gonzalez. The Panamanian was so disgusted and annoyed that he walked to a wrong corner in several breaks between the rounds. Amanov got a forgettable win with scores, which were announced as: 100-89, 99.5-93.5, and 98.5-91.5. The Azerbaijani, however, is in bad need of showing more aggressiveness and determination if he wants to transcend it to another level.

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Former WBA interim super middleweight titleholder Stas Kashtanov (33-1, 18 KOs), now fighting for Vladimir Hryunov, survived just barely against determined Russian fighter named Konstantin Piternov (18-8, 9 KOs) in round three to earn a come-from-behind stoppage in round five. Kashtanov became Russian light heavyweight champion.

Kashtanov, 30, was fighting for the second time since a long injury-induced break, which has also been mixed with severe managerial issues. Against Piternov, who was scheduled to fight in a local show in his native Cheboksary but chose to try his luck at a higher level, Kashtanov looked old, slow and rusty. He hasn’t got any advantage in heated exchanges, was often caught flush and hurt several times in the opening rounds.

Piternov, 31, almost put him down in round four, as he barely survived.

Kashtanov looked slightly better in round four, and he did better in the fifth. Early into the fifth, Piternov was hit on his shoulder while throwing his own punch and immediately took a knee due to a severe pain. He was visibly hurt and son forced to retire in his corner, forcing a stoppage win for his opponent.

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Russian super middleweight champion Dilmurod Satybaldiev (8-1, 2 KOs) scored a workmanlike eight-round unanimous decision (with no scores announced) against a fighter, he has win his national title against – Karen Avetisyan (9-10, 4 KOs).

Avetisyan fought valiantly but Satybaldiev showed poise and determination coupled with some subtle skills to get a win.

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Crimean heavyweight Pavel Doroshilov (3-0, 1 KO) looked bad against no-hoper Valeriy Zamiralov (0-3) but celebrated his first career stoppage, when 35-year old Zamiralov retired on his stool after the fourth round. Zamiralov didn’t throw punches almost at all – which came as no surprise as he was fighting for the first time in seven years.

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Light heavyweight Mark Chimidov (2-2) upset better equipped Mukhtar Khizriev (4-2) over six rounds. Chimidov scored a knockdown in round four with a right hand and dominated the rest of the bout.

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Debuting super middleweight Magomed Madiev (1-0, 1 KO) dropped Andrey Tomaschuk (0-2) with a right hook, and then again after a combo to punctuate the first-round TKO at 2:30.

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The event was also supported by the so-called “Golden Gloves Award”, established personally by Hryunov several years ago. The list of the winners is specific for such kind of events. The most interesting award-taking nominees were:

• Chris Eubank Sr. (who was at hand) – Legend of Boxing

• Fedor Chudinov – Breakthrough of the Year

• Fedor Chudinov KO 2 Ben McCuloch – Knockout of the Year

• Frank Warren – Promoter of the Year

• Ruslan Chagaev SD 12 Fres Oquendo – Event of the Year

• Jimmy Lennon Jr. – Ring Announcer of the Year

• Arthur Abraham – Fighter of the Year

• Alexander Ustinov – Comeback of the Year

The show was capped by a special presentation of Box Nation channel to be launched in Russia.