Gadzhyiev defeats Sandoval in Kyiv

By Boxing Bob Newman at ringside
Photos: Bob Newman

In the main event of a nine bout card Ramil Gadzhyiev of Odessa, Ukraine patiently wore down the more experienced Bruno Sandoval of Mexico over eight rounds to capture the WBC International Silver Super Middleweight title at the Sports Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine Tuesday night. The show was part of the 56th WBC convention which is taking place in the capital city.

Gadzhyiev looked the less experienced on paper, coming in with nine pro bouts under his belt to Sandoval’s twenty three. However, the highly decorated amateur career of Gadzhyiev made up for his pro deficit. Gadzhyiev matched Sandoval in confidence for sure as he stalked the crafty vet around the ring, trying not to fall into any traps. Sandoval had his moments landing some flashy counters and making Ramil miss, but the Ukrainian wasn’t deterred. After some back and forth rounds of give and take, Gadzhyiev finally floored Sandoval in round eight three times along the ropes, prompting referee Donovan Boucher to end matters at 1:57. Gadzhyiev improves to 8-1-1, 5 KOs, while Sandoval falls to 20-3-1, 16 KOs.

In the co-main event, Karen Chukhadzhyan climbed off the deck in round one to methodically wear down Mexicali, Mexico’s Dilan Loza by the sixth round to capture the vacant WBC Youth Silver Welterweight strap. A nifty counter left dropped Chukhadzhyan to his hands and knees for a quick count in the first. Loza couldn’t keep the advantage however, showing signs of fatigue by the third. A vicious combination to the head left Loza on the deck with a badly bleeding mouth, but he beat the count, telling referee Curtis Thrasher he could continue. A second knockdown in ring center had Loza on his hands and knees, blood pouring from his mouth on the white ring canvas. Still he rose, only to get dropped again for the TKO at 2:20 of the sixth. Chukhadzhyan moves to 13-1, 7 KOs, while Loza slips to 12-2, 7 KOs. Insanely, one judge, announced as “Judge A,” had Chukhadzhyan winning 40-36 via the WBC’s open scoring announcement after four rounds, despite clearly losing the first round due to the knockdown!

The first title fight of the televised portion of the show pitted Russian born, Kiev, Ukraine resident Khasan Baysangurov, defending his WBA Inter-Continental Middleweight title against Mexico’s Paul Valenzuela, Jr. Valenzuela was full of it as he showed his full arsenal of ring craft, pot-shotting Baysangurov with eye-catching blows throughout. Baysangurov for his part wasn’t affected as he kept walking the wily Valenzuela down, looking the more technically sound. The judges didn’t favor much of Valenzuela’s efforts as Baysangurov won going away by scores of 117-111 twice and 119-110 to retain his title and move to 17-0, 7 KOs. Valenzuela, Jr. slips to 23-8, 16 KOs.

Opening the televised portion of the show was the older brother of Khasan, Khuseyn Baysangurov, taking on Malkhaz Sujashvili of Georgia. It wasn’t much of a battle as Sujashvili turned his back twice and finally went down for Baysangurov’s relentless onslaught, prompting referee Oleg Kudierov to save the day at 2:50 of the second. Baysangurov moves to 14-0, 12 KOs, while Sujashvili loses his 4th straight at 10-4, 8 KOs.

The vacant WBC Youth Silver Super Lightweight title was on the line as Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron took on Ukrainian Aram Faniyan in a battle of undefeateds. Giron looked out of his league- shorter, no muscle tone, against the taller, ripped physique of Faniyan. As many of you know by now, looks mean nothing in boxing. A looping right hand dropped Faniyan in the second. Unhurt, he got back in the mix and battled on even terms with Giron for much of the early going. Faniyan began to tire however, which led to hold the shorter man and pushing him down. Referee Curtis Thrasher took a point away at the end of the eighth for just that infraction. It could’ve been costly in the close fight as Giron took a close, but unanimous nod by scores of 95-94, 95-93 and 96-92, earning the Youth Silver strap and going to 12-0, 6 KOs while Faniyan drops his first at 13-1, 1 KOs.

Kiev’s Pavlo Yuskiv won his pro debut in a light heavyweight tussle with Kiev’s Serhii Antonenko over four ugly rounds. Antonenko body slammed Yuskiv in the third, earning a point deduction for the dirty deed.

Russian Shamil Galaev made quick work of Belarusian Nadzir Bakhshyieu with what almost appeared to be a phantom punch in the opening stanza of a Super Welterweight match. After exchanging blows to open the bout, Galaev landed a glancing uppercut, Bakhshyieu seemed unbothered by it, then suddenly collapsed in delayed fashion. To make matters worse, he scrambled around the canvas, seemingly trying to get up, only to slump back to all fours more than one during the ten count. Time was 2:02 of the first. Galaev moves to 8-0-1, 5 KOs, while Bakhshyieu earned a 4-6-2, 0 KOs record for his “performance.”

Journeyman Georgian Levan Shonia had to work for a hard-earned TKO4 over one fight Ukrainian novice Vladyslav Tantsiura in a schedule six round middleweight scrap. Each man had their moments, but at the end of four, Tantsiura elected to remain on his stool, as trainer and former WBA welter champ Vyacheslav Senchenko signaled a cut as the culprit. Shonia moves to 15-11, 11 KOs, while Tatsiura evens out at 1-1, 1 KO.

Openining the show before much of the WBC entourage arrived, Super Middleweight Ruslan Shchelev earned a six round unanimous decision over Akiaksandr Dzemka. The Ukrainian Shchelev improves to 15-10-1, 8 KOs, while Belarusian Dzemka falls to 5-6, 1 KO.