WBC International Cruiserweight Title Remains Vacant as Bujaj and Wright Exchange Bombs,Trainers Rick Wilson and Billy Jiles Exchange Verbal Tirades
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Brooklyn, NY (May 17, 2014)– On Thursday evening, May 15, 2014, at Millenium Theater in Brighton Beach Brooklyn, New York, the ten round World Boxing Council International vacant cruiserweight title was a ‘Brooklyn Brawl’ as advertised, between Chicago Golden Gloves champion Junior Anthony Wright, and New York Golden Gloves champion Stivens ‘Superman’ Bujaj. Beyond the decision, the differences in opinion from both lead trainers, Rick Wilson in the corner of Wright, and Jiles in the corner of Bujaj, after this wild slugfest of a bout between two hungry hyena prospects ended in a controversial draw, summed up the bout flaws.
Wright backed up Bujaj from the opening bell, forcing Bujaj to fight the bout as a counterpuncher. Despite pleas from both corners, significant bodywork was not evident in the bout, which turned in a head power shot war. After an even first round, the second round was a close inside war involving exchanges of power shots, won by Bujaj, who landed some big shots. Wright appeared to win rounds three and for, as the busier and more aggressive fighter. Bujaj won round five, which went to-to-toe with some power shot head shots being exchanged.
Round six was hotly contested. It appeared after the round Bujaj had a tooth hanging out, with blood pouring out of his mouth. An extra minute was lost in the corner was the ringside doctor made much ado about nothing, with Bujaj matter-of-factly asking his corner to pull out the tooth. Wright, psychologically uplifted by the apparent panic in the Bujaj corner the bout might be stopped, landed power shots at will in round seven, as Bujaj survived the beating he took on the ropes and hung on for the bell.
It appeared Wright would stop Bujaj in round eight, but as Wright gave Bujaj what appeared to be his final beating on the ropes, referee Shada Murdaugh warned Wright for throwing a low blow, then stopped the bout due to a borderline punch he declared a low blow, allowing Bujaj a five minute rest period.
The low blow rest period for Bujaj appeared odd, especially since Bujaj had thrown at least eight to 10 low blows during the bout, which referee Murdaugh either did not see-or did not wish to consider. Rick Wilson, Wright’s trainer, loudly called foul, claiming the extra one minute rest period given to Bujaj after round six ended, and the five minute rest period in round eight given to Bujaj for a legitimate punch, constituted preferential treatment.
The rest period enabled Bujaj to outbox Wright in round eight and win the round. In round nine, Wright’s work rate was higher, landing power shots on Bujaj significantly but short of being able to get Bujaj, who showed a great heart, out of there.
The pro-Bujaj crowd went wild in round 10, as Wright began to breathe heavily and ran out of gas! Bujaj, finding a second wind and sensing blood, went in for the kill, battering Wright from pillar to post, doubling him over and staggering him around the ring! Wright tried to hang on for dear life, but got caught on the ropes. Wright, his legs gone and taking a senseless beating, got ‘rescued’ when referee Murdaugh stopped the bout due a piece of loose hand tape, preventing Bujaj this time from scoring the stoppage win. The crowd boos drowned out the drama inside the ring, as Wright survived his ugly tenth round beating to hear the final bell. All three judges scored the fight differently, adding to the sensational melodramatic overemotional ending. Wright, 10-0-1 with nine knockouts, entered the WBC regional title bout with a 90% knockout ratio. Neither Wright nor Bujaj, now 12-0-1 with nine knockouts, had ever been in a ten rounder before, and both of their unbeaten records had been madly put to the test. Precisely ‘who exposed who’ in this bizarre bout probably hinged on which fighter you liked more.
The real fight began inside the ring after the decision was announced as a ten round draw. “You know my boy won! You know you lost this fight!” said Wright trainer Rick Wilson, inside the ring, into the face of Bujaj trainer Billy Jiles. “C’mon now, you know my boy had your boy finished in the tenth, we won that fight!” snarled Jiles on the ring apron back into Wilson’s face, neither trainer wanting to let go of their momentary brouhaha. Both trainers mouthed each other like snarling alpha wolves leading their packs.
The fact still remains if there was a round 11, Bujaj would have made road kill out of Wright, who ran out of gas. No wonder Bujaj declared into Wright’s face after the bout “I’ll fight a rematch with you for nothing!” Bujaj overcame a broken jaw in the first round (which nobody watching the fight realized) to take pieces out of Wright nine rounds later, demonstrating as big a heart as this reporter ever did see. A WBC rematch, considering Bujaj’s rating at 29th in the world, would have to be a 12 rounder the second time around, if the respective corners were to agree to such a rematch.
Wright’s trainer, Rick Wilson, still had a most valid point asserting Bujaj deserved a point deduction for low blows Wilson felt the referee either ignored or did not see. If Bujaj were assessed a one point deduction, Wright would have won the bout on the cards. Wilson felt Wright won rounds three through nine. Many of the rounds were close, though. As evidenced by the three different scorecards, the judges all saw the close bout differently.
Promoter and boxer Dmitriy Salita, responding to the outcome of the controversial bout, said he would consider a 12 round rematch between Bujaj and Wright in the near future. Bujaj has expressed an interest in fighting former world light heavyweight champion Glen Johnson, who is now campaigning at cruiserweight. Bujaj is now 12-0-1, nine knockouts.
This reporter feels a 12 round bout between Bujaj and Johnson for the vacant World Boxing Council International Cruiserweight title would be a better move the main event on Salita’s next Brooklyn Brawl card, since Bujaj wants the Glen Johnson bout. It would also be nice to see Salita fight on his next card, as his wavering welterweight career needs to get back on track after his questionable ten round decision loss to Gabriel Tito Bracero.
Result: Stivens Bujaj Draw 10 Junior Anthony Wright, Cruiserweights
Vacant World Boxing Council International Cruiserweight title
Scoring: 96-94 for Bujaj, Judge John McKale, 96-94 for Wright, Judge Don Trella,
Scoring: 95-95 a Draw, Judge Robin Taylor. All three judges had different scores.
Referee: Shada Murdaugh. World Boxing Council Bout Supervisor: Jill Diamond
In the preliminary to the main event, rising heavyweight prospect Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller, weighing 263 pounds, stopped cruiserweight Joshua Harris, weighing 213 pounds, after knocking him down in the second round. Harris was a late substitute for heavyweight contender Vincent Thompson, who was recently arrested for his part in six armed bank robberies. Miller gave away the first round, winning it with light jabs, but feeling Harris out to see what he had. In the second, Miller did not exert great effort in knocking Harris down, then pinning him on the ropes and nailing him with power shots until referee Steve Willis stopped the slaughter. Given the weight disparity, the outcome was not surprising.
Earlier in the evening, New York heavyweight Derrick Rossy won an upset majority ten round decision over heavily favored New York heavyweight Joe Hanks at Olympic Stadium on Montreal, Canada,, setting up a ten round vacant New York State Heavyweight title bout versus Miller on Salita’s next Brooklyn Brawl card.
Result: Jarrell Miller TKO 2 Joshua Harris, Cruiserweights (1:53)
Referee: Steve Willis. Harris was down in the second round.
Other Undercard Bouts
Mikkel Lespierre Win 6 Raphael Luna, Light Welterweights
Steve Martinez TKO 5 Antonio Chaves Fernandez, Light Middleweights (2:04)
Ringer Fernandez fought a Dick Eklund style bout, mirroring Martinez fighting style for four rounds to confuse him. However, Martinez eventually broke him down in the fifth.
Marcos Suarez Win 4 Ian James, Light Welterweights
Dimash Niyazov Win 4 Jose Del Valle, Lightweights
Rising lightweight prospect Niyazov played it cautious with the much taller six foot plus Del Valle, who was in top condition, hard to reach, and hard to hit. Good matchup.
Alexey Zubov TKO 1 Glenn Thomas (1:45)
Russia’s former seven time international amateur cruiserweight champion Zubov took target practice.
Akil Auguste TKO 1 Juan Zapata, Super Middleweights (1:59)
Three knockdown rule. Auguste got down to business immediately.
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