Ekaterinburg - In the main event of a grand card in Ekaterinburg, Russia, organized by the RCC Boxing Promotions, local lightweight favorite Zaur Abdullaev (19-1, 9 KOs) outpointed former WBA super featherweight titlist Roger Gutierrez (27-6-1, 21 KOs) from Venezuela over ten uneventful rounds.
Both fighters started very cautiously. WBO #9, WBA #10, WBC #12, and IBF #14 Abdullaev, 29, who is competing under an Armenian license, measured his foe with the jab. Gutierrez used upper body movement to avoid any dangers (if there were any) from Abdullaev. There was very little action in the first three rounds.
In round four, Abdullaev became just a bit more aggressive and landed several uppercuts at the end of the round to remind the crowd that it was a boxing, not a chess match. Round five was dull again, but in the sixth Abdullaev landed several combinations, to which WBA #12 Gutierrez hadn't responded. The Venezuelan held his right hand very high covering his jaw but barely threw it.
In the closing rounds, Abdullaev gradually got more imposing, throwing combinations and engaging more and more. Gutierrez woke up only in the ninth but his efforts were futile - he was unable to land anything of note. Abdullaev also opened a cut over his left eye in the ninth. Final scores were: 100-90, 98-92 and 97-93 - for the Russian. BoxingScene had it 98-92 - also for Abdullaev.