Kiev, Ukraine: Fly: Artem Dalakian (11-0) W PTS 12 Angel Moreno (8-1-2). Feather: Oleg Yefimovych (26-2) W PTS 12 Tuomo Eronen (14-3). Welter: Vyacheslav Senchenko (37-2) W KO 5 Sergei Melis (25-19).
Dalakian vs. Moreno
Dalakian wins wide unanimous decision over Spaniard Moreno in a fast-paced but at times untidy fight. Both were unconventional adopting hands-down stances and piling in with short punches. Dalakian was making good use of his jab whilst Moreno was dangerous with wild rights. Moreno was relentless as he walked Dalakian down but time and again he was caught with hard counters particularly from Dalakian’s right. It was often messy with too much wrestling but they were fighting at a high pace. Moreno suffered a bad cut on his right eyebrow but it was not a factor. Dalakian had a big tenth as he forced Moreno back and was scoring with hooks from both hands to head and body with Moreno only able to cover up from the storm. Both were tired in the eleventh and Moreno just kept walking onto hard counters without being quick enough to score with his own punches but by the end of the round Dalakian was showing a small cut over his left eye. Dalakian tried to dance his way through the twelfth but Moreno forced him to trade and it was a hectic last round. Scores 118-110 from all three judges. Dalakian, 27, wins the vacant WBA Continental title. As an amateur he was World Military Champion and competed at the 2009 World and 2010 European Championships. He is a quick, slick little fighter and his speed and hands down style will give opponents plenty of trouble. Moreno never stopped coming. The 31-year-old Spaniard, the EBU No 4, was wild at times but dangerous and he too has an unorthodox style and great stamina.
Yefimovych vs. Eronen
Yefimovych gets wide unanimous decision over brave but limited Eronen. Yefimovych had the strength to bully the Finnish southpaw constantly forcing him to the ropes and scoring with left hooks to the body. Eronen was on the back foot and his attacks consisted of wild rushes to get inside but when he did he was holding and not punching. When he did come forward he was walking onto counter after counter. Eronen finally stopped retreating and was coming forward and forcing the fight. He had a good sixth and in the seventh he nailed Yefimovych with a hard left as Yefimovych came back up from ducking under a right. The punch drove Yefimovych back and he was under fire for the rest of the round. Yefimovych came out firing in the eighth but again Eronen forced him back. He drove Yefimovych to the ropes but he was wide open when he moved in and Yefimovych exploded vicious left hook on the Finn’s chin and he stumbled down to the canvas. Although he just touched down briefly it was rightly ruled a knockdown. Yefimovych tried hard to find another punch like that but Eronen was fighting back by the bell. Yefimovych controlled the remaining rounds as Eronen tired but the Finn was always competitive but catching too many left hooks to the body and counters to the head. Scores 119-108 twice and 120-107. The 34-year-old Ukrainian, a former European champion, wins the vacant WBA Continental title. He lost his EBU title on a split decision to Sofiane Takoucht in his fifth defence and that is his only loss in his last 23 fights, but he had only one fight in 2013 and one in 2014 so needs to be more active. Eronen, also 34, made more of a fight of it than the scores indicate and he showed resilience in soaking up the punishment Yefimovych handed out and he got better as the fight progressed. This is only his second loss in his last 14 fights with the other loss being to unbeaten Pole Kamil Laszczyk for the vacant WBFound title in November.
Senchenko vs. Melis
Senchenko continues his run of wins with stoppage of Melis. The Ukrainian boxed conservatively over the first round. Melis tried to force the action and Senchenko was using a sharp jab and long rights to the body to collect the points. Senchenko’s jab dominated in the second as he pierced the defence of Melis time and again and shook him with a right cross at the end of the round. The third was one-sided as Senchenko slammed home jabs and right crosses and throwing hooks and uppercuts into the mix. In the fourth Senchenko rocked Melis with rights to the head and then put him down. After the eight count Senchenko was battering home lefts and rights and the fight could have been stopped but at a crucial moment Senchenko landed a low punch and Melis got some respite. When they resumed a right to the body put Melis down for the second time. When he got up he was staggered again and again by hard rights but made it to the bell. A series of head and body punches put Melis down in the fifth but yet again he got up. Senchenko landed a series of seven punches and then a hard right to the head and Melis went down on one knee and was counted out. The 38-year-old former WBA champion who ended Ricky Hatton’s career and lost in four rounds to Kell Brook in an IBF eliminator in 2013 has won three in a row and was No 4 with the EBU but he declared that this was his last fight. Estonian Melis, 32, drops to 11 losses by KO/TKO.
