Photos: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Krzysztof Glowacki - HUGE Gallery

Photos by Piotr Duszczyk/ringpolska.pl

Ergo Arena, Gdansk - Olympic gold medal winner Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9KOs) went the distance for the first time in winning a twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Krzysztof Glowacki (26-1, 16KOs) to capture the WBO cruiserweight title. The scores were 119-109, 117-111 and 117-111.

Glowacki came out looking to take charge in the first round. Usyk was moving and using his jab. Usyk was more accurate with his punches, while Glowacki was jabbing his way in to the body and looking for a big shot. Usyk's speed was giving Glowacki some trouble. Glowacki continued to come forward in the second, looking for big punches and had control for much of the round.

Usyk with a better third with good punches landing. A clash of heads opened up a small cut around the right eye of Glowacki. Back on the jab for Usyk in the fourth. Glowacki was starting to make things rough for his opponent. Usyk was firing back to get some payback. Glowacki ended the round with some good shots. The fifth was also a littler better for the champion, who was applying a lot of pressure and pressing the action and getting off with some good punches. 

Usyk took control of the sixth round, was landing shots and pushing Glowacki back. Glowacki was targeting the body a little more in the seventh. Usyk continued to land his counter shots and landing some hooks to the body of his own. The eight had Usyk picking his punches, using great foot movement and outboxing the champion. Usyk was dictating the ninth with accurate punches. Glowacki was coming forward, throwing big punches, but landing very few of them. They were trading a bit in the tenth, with Usyk having the full advantage with his accurate shots.

The shots continued to come in from Usyk in the eleventh. Glowacki looked a bit tired and he was allowing Uysk to control the action. Usyk landed a huge combination of punches and Glowacki took the shots very well. Usyk was moving around, popping his shots and making Glowacki follow him around the ring. The twelfth and final round saw Usyk go down from being off-balance in the first minute as Glowacki charged in with shots, and referee Robert Byrd waved it off as a slip. Usyk did not appear to be shaken up and went back to his boxing ability. Glowacki was landing a few good shots that having an effect, but he was taking some really good shots as well.

Uysk was being fast-tracked to the belt and wanted to face the champion sooner than later. He was due to take an interim-fight to stay busy, but suffered an injury in camp. Prior to this fight, Usyk was last seen in the ring back in December when he stopped heavyweight contender Pedro Rodriguez in seven rounds.

Glowacki captured the world title last August with a knockout victory over longtime champion Marco Huck of Germany. He suffered some injuries to his hand and elbow during the contest and required surgery, which led to a long recovery until he returned in April to return his title with a decision win over former world champion Steve Cunningham.