By Alexey Sukachev 

Montenegro, a small Balkan state on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, is on a boxing run! Yesterday, all three WBC-ranked favorites, including local heroes Dejan Zlaticanin and Nikola Sjekloca, were successful during a small tourney in Budva, getting their next victories over competent opponents.

In the main event, WBC #10 lightweight Zlaticanin moved up to 16-0, 12 KOs, after the seventh round TKO over tough Uzbek operator Bahrom Payozov (20-2, 14 KOs), who won his last 18 bouts. Zlaticanin, 28, retained his WBC International title for the first time, and he is expected to be ranked higher in the next WBC ranks. The Montenegrin looked superior in every round prior the stoppage.

In co-feature, 34-year old super middleweight Nikola Sjekloca (25-0, 7 KOs) got a hard-earned points victory over French national champion Hadillah Mohoumadi (13-2-1, 9 KOs) after ten rounds of action. WBC #1 Sjekloca is in position for the title fight in his nearest future. He is also rated #12 by both the WBA and he WBO.

Also, 19-year old Russian Konstantin Ponomarev (16-0, 7 KOs), a WBC Youth I/C welterweight champion edged Serbian Bogdan Mitic (17-4, 10 KOs) in a close non-title fight with a majority decision. It was Ponomarev’s 4th victory this year.

The show was promoted co-jointly by Luka Popovic and Ural Boxing Promotions, ruled by Evgueny Vainstein.