By Yuri Tarantin

Heavyweight contender Vyacheslav "Czar" Glazkov (21-1-1, 13KOs) is very disappointed after suffering his first defeat in a freak accident this past Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Glazkov faced Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21KOs) for the vacant IBF heavyweight championship.  

The fight came to a quick and unexpected end in the third round, when Glazkov slipped and suffered an injury to his right knee. He got to his feet, limped to the corner and told the referee he was unable to continue with the fight. Martin was declared the winner by way of a third round TKO.

Glazkov will have the leg evaluated today and determine if surgery is necessary.

"I am very upset, of course. There was a lot of work [to prepare for this fight], the pace of the match was good. In the second round I had already begun to shoot in and, as they say, touch my opponent. After that, I stumbled in the third round and immediately I felt a strong pain in the knee. I continued to box but I think that is where the injury took place ... But then, I put pressure on the knee for a second time, and fell," Glazkov said.

"Apparently, this is an injury to the cruciate ligament of the knee. Three years ago I was stretching this ligament, and a doctor gave me three injections into the knee joint, the sprain healed, and from that point I was never worried. The injury happened at the wrong time ... As far as an operation, I still do not know. [Today] a diagnosis will be made. Anyone who is worried about me, I just want to give them a big thank you for the support."

Yuri Tarantin covers boxing for Allboxing.ru