By Alexey Sukachev

There were a number of interesting local cards in Eastern Europe over the last several weeks. Yet they were severely outshone by the ongoing FFIA World Cup in Russia. Here are the most notable results.

Zhukovka, Russia (23.06.2018)

Cruiserweight Alexey Papin got yet another solid victory but it wasn’t an easy one. Fighting at the core of one of the Russia’s most luxurious villages at the venue, properly named Floyd Mayweather Boxing Academy, former kickboxing champion Papin withstood mild adversity and somewhat awkward tactics of Namibian Willbeforce Shihepo (25-10, 18 KOs) en route to the eighth-round TKO.

Papin dropped Shihepo hard at the end of the first but, the Namibian then get back to clinching, clowning, playing possum and some basic dirty tricks in order to survive the onslaught. In round six, a huge cut opened over Papin’s left eye. Yet he dropped Shihepo twice more in the seventh, and again in the eighth, forcing a stoppage win. Shihepo was also deducted a point in round seven for an excessive spitting of his mouthpiece.

A reward for Papin was a vacant IBF International cruiserweight title. The 30-year old Russian, who has scored a frightening kayo of once-touted Ismayl Sillah in his penultimate fight, is now 10-0, 9 KOs.

In the chief support bout of the evening WBO #8 light welterweight Georgy Chelokhsaev (15-1-1, 12 KOs) was forced to go the distance against hard-nosed yet young Argentinean Leonardo Fabio Amitrano (13-3, 6 KOs), who is a reigning South American champion. Scores were: 100-90, 100-91, and 98-92 – for Chelokhsaev.

Featherweight Evgueny Smirnov (13-0-1, 3 KOs) delivered one of his best performances lately against little-known Tanzanian import Baina Mazola (15-5-2, 5 KOs). Smirnov dropped  Mazola in the second round and got the job done later on in round seven.

There were six more undercard bouts in a card, promoted by the World of Boxing – the most interesting result, being the third-round stoppage win for Gamzat Gazaliev (4-0, 4 KOs) against journeyman Varazdat Chernikov (11-8, 5 KOs).

Kiev, Ukraine (23.06.2018)

2011 Baku WC and 2012 London Olympics silver medalist Denis Berinchik (9-0, 6 KOs) didn’t disappoint his fans both in and outside the ring. Getting in on a horse, he was also riding successfully inside the ring, scoring the fifth-round stoppage of Columbian import Jose Luis Prieto (26-5, 17 KOs).

Stanislav Skorokhod’s second ascent, following his close loss to John Thompson in the quarterfinal of 2015 Boxcino tourney, ended with yet another split decision loss – this time form little-known yet talented Russia-based Armenian Amir Amirkhanyan (11-0-1, 3 KOs). Scores were 96-94, 96-94, and 94-96 – for the Armenian, while Skorokhod drops down to 17-2, 14 KOs. Amirkhanyan is also a newly crowned WBO International light middleweight champion after this win.

WBO #4 featherweight Oleg Malinovskiy stayed busy with a stoppage win over Wallington Orobio (19-4, 16 KOs), also from Columbia. Orobio’s corner decided not to let it go following an end of the fifth round.

In a battle of unbeatens, fueled by the complexity in their mutual ethnic relationship, Kiev-based Armenian Karen Chukhadzhyan (12-0, 6 KOs) retired Turk import Enes Refik Ciftci (5-1, 3 KOs) after the fifth. Also, another Ukraine-based Armenian Aram Faniyan (13-0, 1 KO) outpointed Frenchman Modibo Diarra (8-5-1, 1 KOs) over eight. Scores were: 80-72, 80-72, and 78-72.

Victoria Olshana of the Sparta Boxing Promotions and Olexander Krassyuk from K2 Promotions staged this event.

Kaspiysk, Russia (12.06.2018)

23-year old middleweight Magomed Madiev improved his record to 11-0, with 4 KOs, after a wide decision win over fellow undefeated Venezuelan import Omar Garcia (10-1, 8 KOs). Scores were: 100-91, 100-91, 99-92 – all for Madiev, who retained his WBA Asia 160lb title for the very first time. Alexander Popov of the Patriot Boxing company was the promoter of the event.

Novorossiysk, Russia (12.06.2018)

Beign soundly exposed by Filipino Kenny Demecillo this March, Russian bantamweight Vyacheslav Mirzaev was in bad need of a gimme fight. Enters Georgian Mishiko Shubitidze (20-12-3, 8 KOs), who was stopped at 2:11 of the very first round after a quick assault by the Russian fighter.

Saint Petersburg, Russia (16.06.2018)

In a battle of the Youth and the Experience, the former got the edge in a scheduled ten-rounder between previously undefeated Evgueny Terentiev (11-0, 6 KOs) and veteran fighter Karen Avetisyan (9-20-4, 4 KOs). Terentiev stopped Avetisyan at 2:49 of the fifth round.

Avetisyan’s record, listed at the Russian Boxing Federation, is 9-20-4. Avetisyan is best known for being one of the first to go the distance with feared WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev.

Podgorica, Montenegro (24.06.2018)

You may not hear much about another rising Turkish heavyweight, but here it is at the scene – meet Umut Camkiran. The Turk once again delivered a quick end to his next fight, effectively finishing off hapless Bosnian Zeljko Bojic (5-22, 5 KOs) at 2:30 of the very first round.

The early stoppage came as no surprise as Bojic was stopped in 21 of his 22 losses. Meanwhile, Camkiran is now 10-0, 10 KOs, nine of his ten wins coming in the very first round. In his previous fight he stopped 31-2 Goran Delic also within a round. Draga Durickovic promoted the event.

Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic (23.06.2018)

Twenty fights into his pro career young, rising Robert Racz is a fighter to look at, specifically as he seized a vacant Czech middleweight crown with a dominant decision over Marek “Optimus” Prochazka (8-2-1, 4 KOs). Scores were: 100-88, 99-89, and 99-90 – for Racz, who improved his record to impressive (for a Slovakia-based ethnic Hungarian) 20-0, 18 KOs. Milos Vesely promoted the event.