Upset: Kulikauskis Strikes Again, Shocks Kalenga
By Alexey Sukachev
With a record of just 12-18-3, 6 KOs, it's hard to believe Arturs Kulikauskis is worth of any notion. Yet, the hard-luck Latvian journeyman just keeps bringing his name into the headlines and for the right reasons. Yesterday, the 22-year old Latvian upset master did it again, scoring a stunning upset over WBA #8 rated cruiserweight Youri Kayembre Kalenga, the first loss in the France-based Congolese's career. Official scores were: 100-93, 100-94 and 99-97, and Kalenga (now 16-1, 10 KOs) was reportedly deducted a point in round one for hitting at the back of the head. The fight was arranged at the Kipsala Exhibition Centre in Riga, Latvia.
Kalenga was mentioned previously as a possible opponent for the highly regarded Pole Mateusz Masternak, who will fight Grigory Drozd of Russian on Oct. 5 instead. The Congolese, meanwhile, was riding high, following a kayo win over 20-0 Georgian Yago Kiladze this June. Kulikauskis, at the same time, scores his second big win this year. In February he outpointed former two-time world title challenger Yuri Barashian (27-5 at the same time) in a non-title six-rounder. Kulikauskis also holds a win over former BBBofC British champion Leon Williams, and he also pushed ex-WBA super middleweight beltholder Dmitry Sartison to the very limit, while losing a spirited MD 8 to the 27-1 German late in 2011.
