Uzbekis go 2-for-2 in Yonkers!

May 1, 2003

By Scott Shaffer
Photos: Ed Mulholland

Kuvaynch Toygonbaev of Uzbekistan won a thrilling ten-round decision over Andrey Tsurkan in Yonkers, New York on Thursday night. There were no official knockdowns in bout, but Tsurkan's glove appeared to touch the canvas just before the bell sounded to end the blazing junior middleweight action. The official scores were 99-92, 97-93 and 96-94, with Fightnews.com seeing it 98-92. Toygonbayev, 21-1, established himself as worthy of a world title shot, while Tsurkan, fighting through a partially closed right eye, saw his stock rise in defeat. Promoter Joe DeGuardia called it the best fight in the seven years he has been promoting in Yonkers.

Tsurkan, 19-2, had the faster hands but got nailed with a right in the first while looking at referee Michael Ortega. In the second, Tsurkan moved forward but the tough-as-nails Toygonbaev used a strong and accurate jab to pick him off on the way in. Things really picked up in the third as the fighters traded a high volume of quality punches. Tsurkan bloodied Toygonbaev's nose and generally got the better of the heated action. The momentum swung back Toygonbaev's way in the fourth, as his punches slowed Tsurkan and raised a welt under his right eye. In the fifth, Tsurkan had the crowd of 1,122 chanting his name after he landed a lightning quick combination when Toygonbaev against ropes, but Toygonbaev quickly fought his way out of the corner. Toygonbaeyev landed heavy punches early in the sixth, and by the seventh, Tsurkan had problems seeing the Uzbeki's bad-intentioned left hooks through the growing mouse under his eye. Except for a trickle of blood flowing from his nose, Toygonbayev looked remarkably fresh in the later rounds, while the pace seemed to take its toll on Tsurkan. Still, Tsurkan ignored his purple, swollen eyes and wobbly legs long enough to rock Toygonbayev at the end of the ninth. He also had some moments early in the tenth, but Toygonbayev launched a final attack that culminated with an overhand right that caused Tsurkan to stumble. It probably should have been scored a knockdown because Tsurkan's glove touched the floor.

Afterwards, Toygonbayev's trainer, Danny Smith, said he was aiming for a shot at Daniel Santos' WBO title. Toygonbayev's lone loss was against Kassim Ouma, and the Uzbeki said he signed the contract to fight Ouma while he was sick and didn't read English well enough to understand he was taking the fight on short notice. Meanwhile, Tsurkan, a Russian who lives in The Bronx, New York, was justifiably proud of his effort. "I feel great. I know he's a very good fighter and I learned from this."

In the co-feature, former amateur star Ruslan Chagaev, 6-0-1, took out Zak Graham by technical knockout at 2:26 of the third round. Graham took the bout on very short notice as a substitute for Robert Wiggins and looked a little soft in the midsection. He quickly got hurt by a Chagaev left in the first round that causes him to bleed from nose. Throughout the second, Chagaev battered Graham, who spent far too much time with his back to the ropes. By the end of the second, Graham's nose was bleeding freely and Chagaev returned to his corner with his opponent's blood smeared across the back of his arm. The beating continued into the third until Benji Estevez ended it, mercifully but unsatisfyingly because Graham wasn't close to going down. Graham didn't complain. The late replacement, though outgunned, earned his payday with a game effort. Chagaev barely got hit and broke down what was a credible opponent for this stage of his career. If there is any knock on Chagaev's performance, it is that he didn't finish off Graham as quickly as he could have. As an amateur, Chagaev was a two-time world champion and defeated Cuban Felix Savon to capture the gold medal at the 1997 World Championships. He was stripped of his crown for having two pro fights prior to the championships but was reinstated as an amateur when the fights were later ruled exhibitions. Chagaev returned to win a gold medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2000 World Championships, and made it to the quarterfinals of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

After starting his career as a heavyweight, Newton "The Butcher" Kidd has slimmed down a division to cruiserweight, where his punching power makes him someone to be taken seriously. Kidd started quickly, showing good hand speed in a winning effort against Alexandra Nikolic, 3-1-1. In the third round, Kidd landed an overhand right that had Nikolic out on his feet. As Kidd stepped away, a stunned Nikolic mometarily turned his back to Kidd and, facing the audience, rested on the ropes. The action resumed in a couple of seconds, but it was obvious Nikolic was still badly hurt. Kidd swarmed the helpless Nikolic on the ropes, landing punches until the ringside physician alertly jumped up on the apron and signaled the referee to stop the fight at 1:33 of the third. Afterwards, Kidd said he was happy with his move to the 190pound weight class. "The guys were just too big for me at heavyweight," said Kidd afterwards. "I might even go down to light heavy." Kidd, who says he is a 2000 and 2001 Golden Gloves champ, is trained by Willie Soto and Julio Rivera.

Cruiserweight Craig Salamone, 15-2-1, won a debatable six-round decision over John Battle. Fightnews.com thought Battle deserved a 58-56 or 57-56 verdict, but judges Joe Dwyer and John McKay saw it 59-55 for Salamone, with Oscar Perez calling it a draw. Battle, 9-8-1, got the better of the action early, particularly in the second, when he landed a very good right. The last half of the third was dominated by Salamone, who literally knocked the spit out of Battle with ten seconds left in a round that could have been scored 10-8. The fourth round was entertaining, with both men struggling to impose their will on the other, and Salamone emerging with a slight edge. Battle rebounded to take the fifth on Fightnews.com's card. Salamone spent the entire sixth moving away from Battle, which at first seemed like a poor decision given how close the fight appeared to be. On his way out of the ring, however, an obviously pained Salamone said he thought his hand was broken. Late last year, Salamone dropped a decision to Daniel Judah for the New York State cruiserweight title.

In a fight that marked the return of Joe Dwyer as a judge, middleweight Tim O'Neill improved to 2-1-1 by defeating Victor Barnes, 0-3. Dwyer's skills would not be tested in this bout because an O'Neill left ended the bout thirty seconds short of the final bell. O'Neill started strongly, decking Barnes in the first with punch to the face as Barnes bent low. O'Neill hurt Barnes again at the end of the second round, but Barnes bounced back with a good third. O'Neill was in control throughout the fourth, and he landed a combination punctuated by a strong left hook that put Barnes down and out at 2:30 of the round. Dwyer returned to judging after a stint as the IBF's championship committee chairman.