By Alexey Sukachev and Alexey Uralets

Portuguese veteran Antonio Joao Bento (22-8-2, 12 KOs), who turns 34 on June 10, is back into high echelons of world boxing ranks after his devastative tenth-round kayo over previously undefeated Dutchman Innocent Anyanwu (now 20-1-2, 13 KOs), 27, on May 16 in Hilversum, Netherlands. Joao Bento (former WBO/WBA/IBF I/C titlist) is a newly crowned EBA super featherweight champion.

From the beginning both fighters gave their best to the fans in attendance. Local star Innocent started very strong thanks to his physical conditions, scoring with several fast punches to the Portuguese in early rounds. However Bento started to level the fight in the midst of the bout. Indeed, up to the 10th stanza the scorings were as follows: 95-96; 97-94 and 96-96. However the very experienced Bento took advantage of his previous twelve-round contests with well-known fighters all around Europe to dominate the 10th round up to the 2:05 when referee Lahcen Oumghar had to stop the EBA Championship, awarding Bento with the KO over Innocent Anyanwu.

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Russian light heavyweight champion Vasily Lepikhin (8-0, 4 KOs) came back to the squared circle after almost a year of inactivity on Jun 15 at Congress Hall in Kabardinka, Russia, to retain his regalia against overmatched opponent in Fuad Muradov (1-5-2). Lepikhin, 25, nicknamed Professor, gave no chance to Muradov, who actually has three higher educations and in the preparation to defend his Ph.D. theses soon, cruising to a convenient unanimous decision over ten rounds of action: 100-90 (twice) and 100-89. Lepikhin is also the Baltic Boxing Union 175lb champion.

Also, rising super featherweight prodigy Fedor (Theodoros) Papazov moved up to 5-0, with 4 KOs, after the fourth-round stoppage of Kazan-based Kyrgyz Shavkhat Madaminov (9-3, 3 KOs). Madaminov was down twice in the first two rounds before getting stopped. Light welterweight Karen Tevosyan (15-1-3, 9 KOs) outpointed Rustam Shidginov (3-5, 1 KO) over six while welterweight Dmitry Mikhailenko (5-0, 1 KO) dropped Dmitry Lavrinenko (1-1) once on his way to a UD 4.

The entire show was co-promoted by Galkin Boxing Promotion and German Titov Boxing Promotions. Nikolay Galkin plans another installment of these series on June 26 with Vasily Lepikhin and, possibly, Fedor Papazov taking their parts in.

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One late result came from Lodz, Poland. WBA #7 junior middleweight Damian Jonak (27-0-1, 19 KOs) didn’t waste much time disposing Germany-based Turk Turgay Uzun (31-15-2, 19 KOs) in just 54 seconds of the first round. Uzun was stopped only for the second time in his career. The bout took its place in the undercard of Wlodarczyk vs. Fragomeni showdown this past Saturday.

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It’s always nice to have a rest while still fighting inside the ring. That exactly what Union Boxing Promotion’s headliners in various weight divisions experienced this past Friday at Dynamo Palace of Sports in their citadel of Donetsk, Ukraine, after taking their next stepping stones in what should have been arranged as sparring sessions or exhibitions.

Cruisers: WBC #27 Iago Kiladze (14-0, 10 KOs) TKO 2 Sergey Shitikov (0-2).

Super middleweights: WBO #8/WBC #18 Stanislav Kashtanov (27-0, 14 KOs) UD 6 Andrey Monakhov (1-13, 1 KO). Scores were 60-54 (thrice).

Super middleweights: WBA #11 Server Emurlyaev (17-0, 5 KOs) UD 6 Artem Scheglov (1-5, 1 KO). Scores were 60-54 (thrice).

Light middleweights: Artem Karpets (10-0, 5 KOs) UD 6 Andrey Danychkin (0-3). Scores were 60-54 (thrice).

Light welterweights: Wladimir Kravets (22-0, 14 KOs) TKO 3 Oleg Tolochko (1-6, 1 KO)

Featherweights: Stanislav Merdov (30-7, 23 KOs) UD 6 Roman Konovalov (0-2). Scores were 60-53 (twice) and 60-52. Konovalov was down once in round four.