By Alexey Sukachev

German boxing strikes again! At Mehrzweckhalle in Obertraubling, Bayern, former cruiserweight world title challenger Alexander Petkovic (41-4-4, 20 KOs) continued his pitiful comeback with an extremely controversial win over 40-year-old Senegalese boxer Cisse Salif (24-18-2, 21 KOs), in what proved to be the most horrible officiating since Russell's Mora "night of miracles" in the Joseph Agbeko-Abner Mares showdown. Petkovic won by way of a disqualification in the sixth round of the bout, which displayed Germany's infamous officiating at its very worst.

To say that 31-year-old Bosnian boxer Petkovic was out of shape is a big understatement. With a huge belt of fat around his waist, a once promising fighter looked crappy and rusty against a boxer who lost 11 of his last 13 fights. Salif was as inactive and as flegmatic as always, doing even less than his slow opponent. However, he was taking all of Petkovic's pitty-pat punches very well (Salif lost just once inside the distance) while jabbing well in return.

In round two, Petkovic was down after a nice one-two combination by the USA-based Senegalese and then he was knocked down again after another combination in the corner of the ring. The Bosnian survived the round but he was on the brink of defeat in the fifth, when referee Manfred Kuchler stepped in to determine the outcome of the fight. He thrice penalized Salif for absolutely legal punches to the body, which landed tightly on Alexander's belly. Salif was deducted two points for nothing in the fifth, then put down Petkovic with a beautiful combination to the head and then did the same with another set of body blows only... to be disqualified by Manfred Kuechler.

The whole fight between two unwilling fighters was a disgrace to boxing. However, Petkovic - by acting and imitating fouls - ultimately disgraced himself, and the referee did the same by not being able to tell the difference between legal and illegal punches. With this "victory", Petkovic acquired the vacant WBA International, WBF Intercontinental and interim PABA heavyweight belts. He shouldn't be considered  a champion in any sense of the word.

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Seemingly faded heavyweight Konstantin Airich (22-5-2, 16 KOs) has partially resurrected his stagnating career with a devatstaing first-minute knockout of unproven Germany-based Turk Varol Vekiloglu (18-3-1, 10 KOs) to take a vacant IBF I/C title. Airich didn't waste any time at all and immediately went right after Vekiloglu. After series of hard punches in the corner of the ring - Airich - who fought eight three-rounders this year, landed a huge right to penetrate Vekiloglu's defense and sent him down for a count. Time was 0:57. Referee was Lindsey Page.

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Tags: Konstantin Airich