Fedor Chudinov-Felix Sturm II: Post-Fight Report Card

by Cliff Rold

It was the sort of fight that did the sport, and the man who should have won, no favors.

Make no mistake. Fedor Chudinov should still be undefeated. He outworked, outfought, and cut veteran Felix Sturm, commanding most of the first eleven rounds of their rematch last weekend. He threw more and landed more and should have won more rounds.

For the second time, it was far closer on the scorecards than the action in the ring dictated. This time, it was too close for Chudinov to get out of Germany with the victory. There were enough swing rounds that it becomes easy to see how it got away. Chudinov’s steadiness, his ordinariness, left him at the mercy of the judges.

Sentiment on one’s home field has always been powerful. Sturm has lost to it in the US. He’s benefited from it more than once in Germany. He benefited strongly at least one more time.

Let’s go the report card.

Grades

Pre-Fight: Speed – Chudinov B; Sturm B/Post: Same

Pre-Fight: Power – Chudinov B; Sturm C+/Post: Same

Pre-Fight: Defense – Chudinov B; Sturm B/Post: Same

Pre-Fight: Intangibles – Chudinov B+; Sturm B/Post: B; B

Sturm wasn’t much better this time than he was the first. He fought in spots, knew how to stage the occasional rally, and stayed often on the front foot. While Chudinov appeared to win at least eight of the first eleven rounds, there were a few that were close. Sturm clearly nabbed some.

And Sturm, like a smart old hand, knew not to let up with three minutes to go. To his credit, Sturm won the twelfth but even that was competitive. It was the difference for the judges. Had Chudinov gone all out that round, he might have at least had a draw. That wouldn’t have been the right verdict either.

He’d at least still have a belt at 168 lbs.

That he doesn’t is a story as old as boxing. Chudinov, even in a controversial defeat, was exposed somewhat. While Sturm might not have been a ton better than in the first fight, Chudinov might have been a little less. He didn’t appear as accurate and sometimes stayed in the trenches a little longer.

Chudinov is the sort of fighter who is going to give a lot of guys hard rounds but his limits will see him struggle. He keeps his hands moving but his lack of speed, even against a clearly slower-than-prime Sturm, doesn’t give the Russian room to punch and get away. So far, his power against a world-class opponent doesn’t seem to be the sort that will spark a ton of fear. Volume touch punches are efficient and workmanlike but judges can be swayed by bigger (looking) return fire.

Some of that might have happened Saturday. Corruption is an easy charge to lob but Sturm hasn’t received as big a benefit of the doubt as often recently. He lost both decisions to Sam Soliman (even if one was made a “no decision” on a drug test and was way too close on the cards) and a unification nod versus Daniel Geale (if via split). All of those were in Germany. There could be a style element at play here.

Or the judges could have just completely screwed up. That happens. It happened Saturday. The judges got it wrong. If Sturm elects to retire, something he hinted at, then he’ll ride off in the sunset a winner.

Even if he didn’t really win.  

Report Card and Staff Picks 2016: 5-2

Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel, the Yahoo Pound for Pound voting panel, and the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com