Knockdown Kings! Glowacki and Spence Win Big at Barclays, Browne Robs Kalajdzic
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent-Ringside
Brooklyn, NY (April 18th, 2016)– In three televised Al Haymon Premier Boxing Champions bouts on NBC television, Saturday evening, April 17, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, nine knockdowns affected the scoring and the outcomes. Four fighters went the distance, and two did not.
Krzysztof Glowacki retained his World Boxing Organization World Cruiserweight championship with a 12 round unanimous decision over former world cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham. Four knockdowns cost USS Cunningham a total seven points. If Cunningham had won these four rounds, he would have won the fight.
Glowacki entered this bout as a power hitter, and though he threw some body shots, they were few and far between in comparison with his titular win with Marco Huck. Cunningham had the golden opportunity to win this bout with his jab technically on points, but instead was looking for the big shot. Cunningham does not have Glowacki’s power, and and at age 39 Steve should have taken the high road and tried to defeat Glowacki on points.
Glowacki countered Cunningham with crisp and accurate power shots to the head. Steve took them well. The rounds which did not have knockdowns were close and could have gone either way, the point being Cunningham had dug himself a four point hole after two rounds, when Cunningham got knocked down twice in the second round, perhaps fishing to see if he could take Glowacki out early.
He had to win the next five rounds to go ahead on the scorecards entering round eight. After getting knocked down again in round 10, and not winning all of the rounds, Steve knew he needed a knockout to win. Steve got knocked down by Glowacki again in round 12, making the outcome for Glowacki clear. Neither fighter was hurt, but some press felt Cunningham should call it a day. Steve has returned to cruiserweight after an unsuccessful campaign at heavyweight. It won’t be easier at 200 pounds if Steve decides to fight again.
Southpaw Glowacki is now 26-0 with 19 knockouts, Walcz, Poland. Cunningham, with noted trainer Naazim Richardson in his corner, falls to 28-8-1 with 13 kn ockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Result: Krzysztof Glowacki Win 12 Steve Cunningham, Cruiserweights
Glowacki retains the World Boxing Organization World Cruiserweight title
Scoring: 115-109, 115-109, and 116-108 for Glowacki. Referee: Arthur Mercante Jr.
Cunningham down twice in round two, again in rounds 10 and 12.
Southpaw welterweight prospect Errol Spence Jr. probably ended the career of WBO World Super Lightweight champion Chris Algieri, stopping him in five rounds. Algieri went hunting for the big money at 146 pounds, and fought world class opposition. He was unable tob eat Manny Pacquiao or Amir Khan at 146 pounds, and now Spence. Algieri was able to overcome knockdowns against Ruslan Provodnikov and Pacquiao. Not with Spence, who knocked Algieri down in the fourth round, and twice in the fifth round. Algieri was now points down when referee Benjy Esteves waved the bout off with Algieri on the canvas along the ropes. Algieri perhaps could have gotten up and fought on, but for what purpose?
Algieri was down 16 to 18 points on the Pacquiao scorecards, and if he went the distance with Spence it would not have gone better. Algieri was limping on an apparently twisted right knee after the bout, which might have occurred after Spence put him on his back in round four. If Algieri’s right knee was a goner, he had no chance, and settling down on the ropes on occasion was a tactical mistake. In the end, Algieri was a free standing target on the ropes, and Spence took power target practice, blasting Algieri down and out. Spence is now 20-0 with 17 knockouts, Desoto, Texas. Algieri falls to 21-3 with eight knockouts, Huntington, New York.
Result: Errol Spence Jr. TKO 5 Chris Algieri, Welterweights (0:48)
Referee: Benjy Esteves Jr.
In a televised stinker, light heavy weight prospect Marcus Browne was awarded a robbery eight round split decision over Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic. An incorrectly awarded first round knockdown for Browne proved the difference. Browne missed with a punch, then Kalajdzic missed with a punch and slipped backwards to the canvas without getting hit, held up by his right glove on the canvas. Browne then landed a left hook body snot with Kalajdzic’s left leg already clearly on the canvas.
In the post fight press conference, Browne claimed Kalajdzic was kneeling but not on the canvas, so he was justified to hit him, as the referee had not stepped between them. The fight footage revealed otherwise. Kalajdzic will appeal the result to the New York State Athletic Commission. Kalajdzic dropped Browne in the sixth round but did not finish him. A one point margin split decision win resulted for Browne, now 18-0 with 13 knockouts, Staten Island, New York. Kalajdzic is now 21-1 with 13 knockouts, Saint Petersburg, Florida. The bout could have been for 10 rounds instead of eight, however when the Glowacki versus Cunningham WBO cruiserweight world title bout went the full 12 rounds, the time slot limited the following bout to eight rounds. Kalajdzic, a better late round fighter, would have benefited from a ten round bout, but that did not happen this time.
Promoter Lou DiBella complained he did not like the refereeing in this bout, but stated both fighters demonstrated they are world class worthy, the greater point of the contest.
Result: Marcus Browne Win Split Decision 8 Radivoje Kalajdzic, Light Heavyweights
Scoring: 76-74 Browne. 76-74 Kalajdzic. 75-74 Browne.
Referee: Tony Chiarantano
Kalajdzic ruled down in first after a slip, then getting hit by Browne while on the canvas. Browne down in sixth round.
Barclays Center Untelevised Undercard Bout Results
Mario Barrios Win 8 Edgar Gabejan, Lightweights
Heather Hardy TKO 4 Anna Donatela Hultin, Female Featherweights
Lucasz Maciec Win 8 Jeremy Ramos, Super Welterweights
Earl Newman TKO 4 Dustin Craig Echard, Cruiserweights
Radzhab Bataev TKO 1 TyKeem Sadler, Welterweights
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