By Alexey Sukachev
Podolsk, Russia - On his daughter's seventh birthday, bantamweight Nikolay Potapov (13-0, 6 KOs) had a nice gift for her (and also for his wife who was also in attendance) - a major win over hard-nosed aggressor Jason Canoy of Philippines. Potapov scored a wider-than-deserved unanimous decision to capture a vacant WBA Asian 118lb title in the main event of the tourney, promoted by Pavel Popov of Podlosk Fight League in Podolsk, Russia.
Canoy (now 21-5-2, 15 KOs), who is fighting between light flyweight and bantamweight limits, proved to be a very tough and aggressive cookie. He pressed the action against Potapov for all twelve rounds, forcing him to work mostly on the defensive. The Russian fighter used his left jab as a stopper and landed many light punches, while Canoy connected with stiffer leather but only on rare occasions. Canoy turned on extra heat in championship rounds but Potapov stood firmly and moved elusively to get out of danger.
Final scores were: 119-110, 118-111 and 118-111 - all for Potapov. BoxingScene had it closer: 116-112 - but also for the Russian fighter.
-----------------------
Moscow-based Russian Roman Andreev (16-0, 11 KOs) successfully defended his PABA lightweight title, while making a solid step-up in class at the same time, outpointing Filipino national champion Rey Labao (26-6, 17 KOs) over twelve very hard-fought rounds and despite a minor scare in the first round knockdown.
Andreev started carelessly and paid the price in the first round, going straightforwardly back with a major left swing of Labao landing hard on his chin. Andreev beat the count and was more cautious after that. He used his jab and landed multiple combinations but only when fighting on the distance. Once in - he grabbed and hugged and pushed Labao out of the clinch to preserve some distance.
Labao tried to repeat his one-punch trick but he had troubles with finding his range, as almost all of his punches were way off the mark in rounds two-to-eight. Andreev at the same time punished his opponent, but Labao took this beating well.
The Filipino found some inner resources to be more competitive in the last third of the bout, which was almost even. Both fighters rumbled hard in the ninth and in the eleventh stanzas, with Andreev being slightly more precise but less powerful. The Russian was also cut over his nose in round ten.
All three judges had it unanimously for Roman Andreev: 117-110, 118-109 and 119-109. BoxingScene also had it 117-110 - for the very same fighter.
-----------------------
Former two-time ju-jutsu and muay-thai champion Yulia Berezikova (2-0,2 KOs), effectively stopped former three-time world title challenger (twice in 2014 and once in 2013) "Black" Dalia Vasarhelyi (9-7, 1 KO) in four one-sided rounds. Berezikov was better in every department, circling around the Hungarian, landing multiple punches and using her jab to an extent. Vasarhelyi started equally strong but rapidly degraded. She had her nose bleeding and was issued a standing eight early in the fourth after a right uppercut and a left hook to the body by Berezikova. The bout was stopped soon thereafter.
-----------------------
Ring veteran Konstantin Piternov (17-6, 8 KOs) made a relatively quick work of inexperienced Hungraian import David Nagy (3-1, 2 KOs). Piternov immediately jumped at his opponent, landed numerous heavy blows in the first round, but Nagy has somehow survived till the bell ring. Piternov continued to deal damage in round two, then in round three landed a couple of heavy left hooks to the body, visibly hurting Nagy and driving him to the ropes. The bout was stopped right after that, at 0:34, by referee Alexander Kalinkin - a bit too early as it seemed.
-----------------------
Heavyweight-turned-cruiserweight Maxim Maslov improved his record to 15-1-1, with 8 KOs, after a hard-fought majority decision over upset-minded Yuri Bihovtsev (8-6-3, 5 KOs) of Belarus. BoxingScene had it 77-75 - for Maslov.
Maslov, a naturally bigger fighter of the two, pressed the action, trying to land his right hand, and had some success in early rounds. Bihovtsev fought it to the end, responded well and countered Maslov with some heavy shots but his power wasn't enough to prevent Maslov from moving forward. Maslov is 5-0 since a three-year long hiatus.
-----------------------
Local recent debutant Alexander Podolskiy (2-0) just barely overcome tough and willing but limited Ukrainian journeyman Dmytro Aushev (1-5, 1 KO) of Mariupol, Ukraine, with a unanimous decision. Aushev gave as much as he took and fought hardly to the end. No scores were announced but BoxingScene had it 39-38 - for Podolskiy. Aushev has lost only to undefeated fighters with a combined record of 37-0-1, scoring his only win with a kayo over 10-7 opponent.
