By Alexey Sukachev (ringside)

Walking the knife’s edge isn’t the best way to get yourself ready for a major fight but it has never stopped reigning IBO cruiserweight champion Rakhim Chakhkiev to toy with a possible defeat in a presumed eight round tune-up contest against lightly regarded Brazilian Hamilton Ventura.

Chakhkiev squeaked past his foe with a close unanimous decision, being forced to get off the floor twice for a very shaky win.

TBRB #8 Chakhkiev, 32, is hunting down another alphabet strap being rated as high as #4 by the IBF only behind his compatriot and #3 rated prodigy Murat Gassiev. The situation is being negotiated very tightly with all involved parties. Chakhkiev has a date on November 4 in Kazan, Russia – a cruiserweight fight against #9 ranked Ola Afolabi, which was presumably thought to be the IBF eliminator, a fact that has never been officially confirmed.

With such an important contest in mind, making an eight-round scrap against a relatively unsafe foe was risky business for Team Chakhkiev. Ventura, 32, might have been presumed to be a typical Brazilian import – entertaining but unstable and fragile. Seemingly forgot was his solid (for a Brazilian expatriate) American experience: 3-1-1, with 2 KOs.

This match-up was a main event of the evening, promoted by Armenian Shamir Petrosyan at the Arbat KRC alongside Vola Club. Petrosyan is best-known as a co-handler of middleweight prospect Arif Magomedov. It also came four days after Armenian Independence Day, celebrated annually on Sep. 21.

Chakhkiev started mildly aggressively, looking for a solid shot. Ventura, the taller of the two, was preserved and cautious but also showed solid guard in the opening stanza. One punch that almost ruined it was Rakhim’s left hook, which wobbled the Brazilian at the end of the round. In the next three-minute span Chakhkiev tried to capitalize on it but his explosive surges were taken well and smothered by Ventura.

If one had thought of a languished evening this perception was lost in the third, when Ventura became more aggressive. Culminating his offensive was a major right hand that suddenly had Chakhkiev down. The Russian was slightly wobbly but managed to make it through. In the fourth, Ventura was still better but the 2008 Beijing Olympics heavyweight champion packed an equalizer and launched it simultaneously with a bell to end that stanza – a colossal left hook, which had Ventura down and almost out.

This proved to be a turnaround. Chakhkiev became gradually more successful in rounds five and six but Ventura had some moments too. At the end of the seventh he scored a nice blow – this time with his head, causing a cut on Chakhkiev’s left eyelid.

The eighth and final round was cautious but at the very end of the round, Ventura caught Chakhkiev with another right bomb and sent him down. For whatever reason this punch wasn’t ruled as a knockdown by referee Alexander Kalinkin.

At the end, all four judges had it unanimously: 77-73, 77-74 and 76-75 – for Rakhim Chakhkiev (24-1, 18 KOs). Scores suggest that not all of the knockdowns were taken into account. Had the latter been recognized, a fight could have been scored a draw. BoxingScene had it close: 75-74 – for Chakhkiev. Ventura is now 14-2-1, 12 KOs.

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

In a walk-out bout, Russian welterweight champion Vaginak Tamrazyan (10-0, 3 KOs) scored a rare stoppage of Argentinean expatriate Oscar Roberto Medina (26-11-2, 9 KOs), who is now fighting off Novokuznetsk, Russia. Median engaged in a war with Tamrazyan only to suffer a bad cut on the bridge of his nose. Since it was caused by a punch, the fight was awarded to the Russian Armenian on a TKO at 2:53 of round two. Medina is now 2-5, while competing in Russia.

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

Venezuelan veteran Franklin Varela has been taken down to the 0.500 mark but super featherweight Valery Tretyakov (5-0, 3 KOs) had to pay a price four that. Despite being dominated the 38-year old warrior landed a perfect right bomb to send Tretyakov down in the fourth. The latter was also cut over his right eye.

The Russian got a unanimous decision, though scores weren't announced (but later snatched by the reporter - 78-73 thrice). Boxingscene had it 77-74 - for Tretyakov. Varela is now 21-21, 10 KOs, losing for the 12th time in a row.

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

Rising lightweight Soslan Tedeev (10-0, 8 KOs) improved his record with the third-round stoppage of battle-tested Uzbek Sherzodbek Mamajonov (9-12-4, 6 KOs). Tedeev dropped Mamajonov twice in round three with wicked body punches. Time of stoppage was 2:38.

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

Another Armenian debutant Aram Amirkhanian (1-0) got the better of Omar Marabayev (1-6) with a unanimous decision over four.

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

Orenburg native Vladimir Galchenko (1-0) kicked off his pro career with a unanimous decision over four against fellow newbie Alexander Yudin (0-1).

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

Vage Sargsyan (1-0) debuted with a spirited majority decision over David Nikolayev (0-2) on what was a close fight. Sargsyan is trained by Manvel Gabrielyan, a former coach of Nikolay Valuev. Scores were: 38-38, 39-38 and 40-37.

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

Former Ukrainian national and European championship medalist Igor Mahorin (2-0) spoilt an unbeaten record of Davit Hovhannesyan (1-1) with a dominant UD over six. Mahorin scored a knockdown in round three with a perfectly placed left hook to the body.

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

In an exhibition fight between two ethnic Armenians, Petros Alavyan (2-0) looked considerably better than his more experienced compatriot Gegam Mkrtchyan (4-0-1). Alavyan dropped his foe at the end of round three in what would have been UD 4 for him, had it been an official contest.