By Alexey Sukachev

A small but well-packed show, which features a couple of local, barely important trinkets, is taking place at Galich Hall in Krasnodar, Russia. The event will see a couple of undefeated kayo artists against foreign imports and a comeback of well-known lightweight fringe contender Alisher Rakhimov for the first time since his loss to Ji Hoon Kim in the IBF eliminator. The card is promoted by SKV Boxing (Sergey Kostenko). Dmitry Pirog, former WBO middleweight champion, is located ringside for the show.

--------------------

Rising cruiserweight kayo artist Dmitry Kudryashov (6-0, 6 KOs) showed in his fight against Uzbek cruiserweight champion Isroil Qurbonov (7-8-1, 2 KOs) that he could have posed some problems for a fighter with a questionable chin like Ismayl Sillakh. However, this time Kudryashov was not fighting a major threat in Sillakh, but a fighter of limited talent and skills. Qurbonov was down in the first and took a massive beating in the next four rounds. Kudrashov never landed a finishing punch but he was methodically battering and breaking his foe down on an accumulation of crisp, painful blows. Finally, referee Evgueny Gorstkov had seen enough and waved the bout off at 2:05 of the fifth with the Uzbek being virtually defenseless.

--------------------

Notorious Russian cruiserweight veteran Rodion Pastukh (9-0, 9 KOs), who once promised to give a sound boxing lesson to... 2012 London light heavyweight gold medalist Yegor Mekhontsev in what was a sound scandal in Russian boxing media, got another kayo to his resume. Pastukh, 38, did little in the first three rounds of his fight versus Tanzanian challenger Chupaki Chipindi, 37, but early into the fourth he connected with a barely legal (if not illegal) right hand behind Chipindi's back, which put him down in pain. The Tanzanian fighter got up and soon went down again - this time after a hard left hook to the solar plexus.

Official time of stoppage was 1:00 of the fourth round. Pastukh acquired a so-called UBO "world" cruiserweight title, another meaningless trinket in his resume. However, Pastukh is also the Russian cruiserweight champion. Chipindi falls down to 9-3, with 4 KOs.

--------------------

Russian and WBC ABC welterweight champion David Avanesyan was very wise not to put his regalia at risk against grizzled veteran Roman Seliverstov. Not that he didn't win the fight. He did but on three judges' scorecards with ridiculously wide margins in what was probably the clearest of all robberies, albeit in an obscure fight.

Seliverstov, 36, is a tough opponent for everyone. He is also much better than his inferior record suggests. Roman has previously held the WBO European, PABA, IBO I/C and BBU welterweight titles and scored wins over two former world title challengers - Cosme Rivera and Michael Trabant. Avanesyan, twelve years his younger, has never faced an opponent of such a caliver as Seliverstov.

The native of Semenovskoye immediately went to the close quarters and started to work Avanesyan's body. The younger fighter tried to move out of Seliverstov's fire range but with little success. Seliverstov tried to impose his will on Avanesyan and he did what he'd planned, clinching, mauling and bothering his opponent. David took the charge in the mid rounds and landed several clean right hands to momentarily stop Seliverstov in his tracks. The latter found some inner resources and finished the bout very strong while putting Avanesyan on the defensive.

At the end, BoxingScene had it 93-97 - for Roman Seliverstov. The official scores were, however, extremely scandalous: 100-91, 99-92 and 98-93 - for the local boy Avanesyan (12-1, 5KOs). A major scandal and another black eye for Russian boxing in what was indeed an interesting two-way affair.

--------------------

WBO #12 lightweight Alisher Rakhimov (24-1, 12 KOs) showed little remorse to durable Belarussian journeman Evgueny Kruglik (10-17-3, 2 KOs) but his small frame and a lack of punching power prevented the Uzbek veteran (35 years of age) from stopping him inside the scheduled distance. Nevertheless, Kruglik was soundly outboxed and outfought by Rakhimov, who won a unanimous decision in this non-title eight-rounder. No scores were announced. BoxingScene had it 79-71 - for Alisher.

--------------------

In a clash for a mysterious "Russian light heavyweight title under "Pro-Ring" aegis", rising prospect Varazdat Chernikov (4-0, 1 KO) was tested tough by a well-known Russian journeyman Artiom Vychkin (8-29, 2 KOs). Vychkin, once an upset artist and the WBC CISBB beltholder, fought hard but lost a majority of rounds due to his faded skills and reflexes. Scores were: 80-75 (twice) and 80-74 - for Chernikov. BoxingScene had it 78-74 - also for the younger fighter. Vychkin lost his thirteenth fight in a row.

--------------------

Welterweight Alexey Kovalev (2-1, 1 KO) scored a hard-fought stoppage of Orazmukhammed Komekov (1-1), probably the only active Turk fighter in boxing. Komekov was down in the first but came back strong in the next couple of rounds. Kovalev rallied in the second half of the bout, dropped Komekov in the sixth, and the latter was stopped on his feet with 10 seconds remaining in the six-round fight.

--------------------