BROOKLYN–Deontay Wilder retained the WBC Heavyweight title with emphatic one punch 9th round stoppage over Artur Szpilka before an announced crowd of 12,608 at Barclays Center.
It was a close fight throughout with Szpilka trying to score with little jabs and right hooks. Everytime he would connect, it would draw a large roar from the thousands of Polish fans in attendance. Wilder started to get going in the middle rounds as he kept landing hard right hands that Szpilka took well. That was until round nine, when Wilder unleashed a perfect right to the jaw that sent Szpilka down and out. Szpilka would be down with his eyes closed for several minutes until he regained his wits.
The bout was stopped at 2:24 of round nine.
Wilder, 228.7 lbs of Tuscaloosa, AL is now 36-0 with 35 knockouts. Szpilka, 233.2 lbs of Houstin, TX is now 20-2.
Post fight quotes:
RONNIE SHIELDS:
“He’s doing good, He’s awake and knows exactly where he is. He didn’t want to go to the hospital but he’s going as a precaution. It’s better safe than sorry.”
DEONTAY WILDER:
I told him he was a great contender. He came to gave his all. He gave his all for Brooklyn.
“I always say two prayers,” Wilder said. “I say a team prayer and I say an individual prayer. I don’t want to hurt a man so he can’t go home to his family. We risk our lives every time we step in the ring. He’s definitely in my prayers and I hope he’s doing well.
“He was definitely a crafty guy. I haven’t competed against a southpaw in three years. He was a tough competitor, but you’re fighting for a world title. It’s not supposed to be easy. I’m surprised it took that long, but we had 12 rounds and they can’t all can’t be pretty.
“We all know Fury is just a phony. This is just an act. I’m not scared of any body. We’ll come to your back yard. This is just an act – you’re not a real fighter. I don’t play. This isn’t wrestling. This isn’t the WWE. When you do step in that ring with me I promise you I will baptize you.
“I would love to fight him next, unfortunately. I have other mandatories due. Make the date Tyson, I promise you.”
FURY:
“Any time, any place anywhere. I’ll fight you in your back yard after I beat (Wladimir) Klitschko again.
Charles Martin won the IBF Heavyweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over Vyacheslav Glazkov.
Glazkov seemed to fall and hurt his knee and could not continue and the bout was stopped at 1:50 of round three.
Martin, 249 1/2 lbs of Carson. CA is 23-0-1 with 21 knockouts. Glazkov, 218 lbs of Ukraine is 21-1-1.
Kownacki battered Kelly all over the ring for much of the fight with thudding shots that brought constant roars from the pro=Polish crowd in attendance at Barclays Center
Mike Lee remained undefeated by scoring a 3rd round stoppage over Joey Gardner in a scheduled 8-round Cruiserweight bout.
Lee dropped Gardner twice in round two and again in round three and the bout was stopped at 43 seconds in round three.
Lee, 177.6 lbs of Chicgo, Il is 16-0 with 10 knockouts. Gardner, 178 lbs of Woonsocket, RI is 11-9-1.
Julian Sosa scored a 2nd round stoppage over Bryan Timmons in a scheduled 4-round Jr. Welterweight bout.
Sosa dropped Timmons with a left to the body in round two and finished him off seconds later with a hard flurry of shots to the head that sent Timmons down for a second time and the bout was stopped at 1:48 of round two.
Sosa, 141.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is 4-0-1 with 2 knockouts.
Former Olympian Carlos Gongora scored a 3rd round stoppage over Derrick Adkins in a scheduled 4-round Light Heavyweight bout.
Gongora scored knockdowns in round’s two and three and the fight was stopped at 1:29.
Gongora, 170.6 lb of Brooklyn, NY is 4-0 with 3 knockouts. Adkins, 171.2 lbs of Edmond, OK is 1-1-1.
In a battle undefeated Welterweights, Botirsher Obidov won a 4-round unanimous decision over Ramil Gadzhiev.
Scores were 39-37 on all cards for Obidov, 160.8 lbs of Kissimmee, FL and is now 4-0-1. Gadzhiev, 161.2 lbs of Boca Raton, FL is 1-1.
Ivan Golub scored an impressive first round stoppage over Juan Rodriguez Jr. in a scheduled 8-round Welterweight bout.
In round one, Golub dumped Rodriguez with a right to the body. Deconds later, it was a perfect straight left to the chin that finished off Rodriguez at 2:41 of round one.
Golub, 147 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 10-0 with 8 knockouts. Rodriguez, 146.8 lbs of Union City, NJ is 12-4.
Maciej Sulecki stopped veteran Derrick Findley in round seven of their scheduled 10-round Middleweight bout.
It was an action filled battle with Sulecki getting the better of the action. In round seven, Sulecki rocked Findley with a straight hand and seconds later the fight was stopped at 1:29 of round seven.
Sulcecki, 161 lbs of Warsaw, POL is 22-0 with 7 knockouts. Findley, 161.8 lbs of Chicagi, IL is 22-18-1.
Photos by Joe Tarlecky
