By Dmitry Mikhalchuk (ringside) and Alexey Sukachev

Coming back with a bang in 2016, K2 Ukraine staged its first notable tourney this year at the Kiev's sport hall. WBO #1 cruiserweight Olexander Usyk was penciled in to headline this show but it ended with three other notable Ukrainian fighters being featured in separate attractions.

In what was billed the main event of the evening, featherweight Oleg Malinovskiy (now 18-0, 5 KOs) had to work very hard to get a nod over Russian import Ruslan Berchuk (13-6, 6 KOs) in a bid for a vacant WBO European title. Berchuk was coming off two back-to-back split decision wins over perennial continental contender Adnrey Isaev (spanned over a year) and gave fits to the local fighter.

Still, Malinovskiy had more gas in his tank and showed more skills in his actions than the Russian, getting a close call. Scores were 98-92, 97-94 and (unrealistic) 95-95 - for a majority decision in favor of Ukrainian.

Denis Berinchyk (4-0, 3 KOs), 27, an instrumental part of 2011/2012 Ukrainian Golden Squad (which also featured reigning WBO champion Vasyl Lomachenko as well as blue-chip prospects Usyk, Ievghen Kytrov, Olexander Gvozdyk and Taras Shelestyuk), who captured silver medals at both 2011 world chamionship in Baku and 2012 London Olympics, continued his pro education with a four-round demolition of previously undefeated Argentinean Emiliano Martin Garcia (12-1, 10 KOs). Berinchyk used his trademark all-action, mauling style to literally batter and exhaust the Latino boxer, finally catching him in the corner and unleashing his fury for a TKO at the end of the round.

Middleweight Maxim Bursak (33-4-1, 15 KOs) had been talking big game against newly crowned WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders in a fight, which had been planned to take place on April 29 in the UK. The first defense of the marron belt was later canceled due to an injury, suffered by the British fighter. However, had this matchup taken its place as planned and had Bursak looked the way he manifested himself tonight, this defense should have been an easy night for a defending champion.

Bursak, 31, looked very mediocre against tough but limited compatriot Ruslan Schelev (12-5, 6 KOs) en route to a unanimous decision, which was much closer than official scores seem to say: 79-73 (twice) and 78-74. BoxingScene, watching it from ringside, had it 77-75 - for Bursak.

Local Georgian Mishiko Beselia (13-0, 9 KOs) scored a workmanlike unanimous decision over Innocent Anyanwu (22-16-3, 16 KOs) of Netherlands. Scores were 80-72 across the boards. Anyanwu, 37, is now 2-16-1 over the last six years since going 20-0-2 to start his career.

Coming back after almost six years off the ring, Salambek Baysangurov (7-0, 4 KOs), a younger brother of former WBO light middleweight champion Zaurbek Baysangurov, looked solid in a three-round stoppage of Vladimir ROmanenko (4-3, 4 KOs). Romanenko was down once in round two and once in round three - both times after body shots by Salambek.

21-year old Khussein Baysangurov (7-0, 5 KOs) also scored a stoppage - against fading Abkhazian import Karlo Tabaghua (18-10, 13 KOs), who had lost his seventh straight. Baysangurov floored Tabaghua with a big right hand, then hurting him badly with a left hook for a stoppage coming in round two.

Also, 19-year old Petr Ivanov (5-0, 2 KOs) knocked out Davit Ribakoni (11-12-5, 2 KOs) of Georgia in a very first round.