Mariusz Wach found his way back to the win column, though he was forced to work harder than most expected to be the case.

The fringe contender from Krakow, Poland turned away a relatively spirited challenge from Kevin Johnson to claim a 10-round decision Friday evening behind closed doors at Palac w Konarach in Konary, Poland.

Scores were 99-91, 98-92. 97-93 in favor of Wach in the battle of 40-year old former heavyweight title challengers atop the first show in country since March 7. The boxing scene has been shut down due to the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which was the reason for Friday’s card taking place without fans in attendance.

Johnson—a globetrotting American journeyman—has long ago developed a reputation as a lazy boxer both in and out of the ring. Once upon a time a rising prospect, the New Jersey-bred heavyweight reached a point in his career where he has all but refused to let his hands go in most of the biggest fights of his career.

It wasn’t the case on Friday, a lesson Wach was forced to learn early in their main event battle which was fought in a small ring to accommodate the intimate venue. The locally-bred heavyweight did his best to put his considerable size advantage to use (6’ 7½” to Johnson’s 6’3”), constantly pumping his jab in hopes of following with a long right hand. Johnson did his best to disrupt that strategy, often working his way inside where he would shoot off chopping right hands or fall into Wach’s grasp.

Wach struggled to work his way around Johnson’s defensive shell, which either picked off or slipped most of the incoming jabs in round two. Johnson made his presence felt midway through the frame, shooting off counter right hands on the inside while avoiding return fire.

A momentum shift came in round three, as Wach bullied his way inside after failing to establish his presence on the strength of his jab. The adjustment worked, as Johnson spent much of the frame fighting off the ropes. Wach landed a long right hand on the top of Johnson’s head, perhaps his best punch although the bulk of his success in the round came from keeping his opponent’s back against the ropes for much of the frame.

Johnson enjoyed a surge in rounds four and five, which at the very least gave the judges something to think about in scoring the sessions. Body shots landed for the American, as Wach sought to reestablish his range after enjoying modest success at close quarters. A two-way exchange at center ring towards the end of round five drew a rise from the few people allowed in the ballroom.

Wach seized control in round six and ultimately never looked back. Johnson didn’t at all roll over, but was no longer as effective as was the case in the earlier rounds. Wach was able to keep the fight at long range when he so chose, and smothered his 274 ½ pound frame on Johnson whenever he didn’t feel like fighting on the inside. The tactic worked, as Johnson was suddenly reduced to one punch at a time—the intention clearly there, but falling well short on execution.

It also proved wise in retrospect, as Wach suggested after the bout that he may have injured his hand in the 7th round.

A posing contest came of round nine, a point in the fight where Johnson was best served to go for broke. Wach pawed with his jab, suddenly sliding forward and Johnson threating to unload but never quite pulling the trigger.

Both heavyweights let their hands go at the start of the 10th and final round, much to the delight of the vocal few at ringside. Wach smothered his jab in Johnson’s face, though the lack of a follow through left him open for counter opportunities by Johnson. Wach responded with an uppercut and right hand at center ring, prompting Johnson to back up and lower his guard. A jabfest came of the final minute of the bout, with Wach winning that battle and eventually the fight.

The win came right on time for Wach, who came up short in his previous appearance while in search of bigger game in 2020. The former title challenger—who took then-lineal champion Wladimir Klitschko 12-round in their November 2012 heavyweight championship—dropped a 10-round decision to Dillian Whyte in a fight both took on short notice last December in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

Friday’s win runs Wach’s record to 36-6 (19KOs). His goal for this year is to secure a clash with unbeaten Agit Kabayel, along with a desired rematch versus Martin Bakole, who managed wins over Wach and Johnson (now 34-17-1, 18KOs, four straight losses) in 2019.

Their common opponent in Bakole was in fact the reason Wach chose Johnson as an opponent for Friday—that along with his availability, making the trip from Germany as outside opponent selection was limited due to the ongoing global health crisis. 

Event promoter Wach Boxing Team plans to stage similar shows for as long as the local government will allow, with the heavyweight himself eager to get up to three more fights on the year. 

The event streamed live on Pay-Per-View through EventTV.global.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox