By Alexey Sukachev

Oksana Chernyshova of Empire Sport promotional company, a new outfit, organized by well-known Russian impresario Yuri Fedorov, unified her efforts with Jevgenijs Sapronenko of LNK Boxing to stage a nice-packed little tourney at Studio 69 in Riga, Latvia, on Thursday night, May 25.

In the main event of the night, two Russian fighters collided for a vacant IBF Intercontinental and IBO Intercontinental lightweight title, and more experienced Fedor Papazov (20-2, 15 KOs), an IBO I/C belt owner, came out with a razor-thin unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Isa Chaniev (10-1, 5 KOs). Final scores were 116-113, 115-113, and 115-114 – for Papazov.

In a featured fight of the tourney, former amateur star Artem Chebotarev (3-0, 3 KOs) scored yet another quick kayo, stopping Daniel Wanyonyi (25-11-2, 20 KOs) of Kenya in two rounds.

IN OTHER NEWS: Undefeated Oshin Derieuw put on a master-class on Saturday night at the Salle Marcel Dufour in Louvroil, France, beating compatriot Marion Montanari to win the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) Womens International Light Welterweight title.

Headlining a show promoted by the Boxing Club de Louvroil, 30-year-old Derieuw was always one step ahead of the brave and gutsy Montanari (32), and put on a near flawless performance on her way to winning her first professional title in dominant fashion.

Derieuw boxed well from a distance, and was the stronger fighter when the action moved to the inside. She fired off well-placed combinations to body and head, and hurt Montanari on several occasions with her uppercut. It was quite the domination at times, but Montanari took everything that came her way.

After ten one-sided rounds, judge Arno Pokrandt from Germany scored the fight a landslide 100-90, while French judges Smail Alitouche and Christophe Hembert had it slightly closer at 99-91 and 98-92. Referee in charge was Bertrand Chagnoux, also from France.

The new WBF International Champion improved her record to 6-0 (3), and put herself in line to possibly challenging WBF World Champion Myriam Dellal in another intriguing all-French match-up. Montanari drops to 2-3 (0), a deceiving statistic as she has boxed unbeaten opponents in four of her five outings.