There’ll be gunpowder in the air when Russia’s Denis Lebedev opens the defence of his WBA ‘interim’ cruiserweight title against Barbados banger Shawn ‘The Sniper’ Cox at the Crocus City Hall, Myakinino on Wednesday (April 4th), live on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546).
The words ‘rugged’ and ‘uncompromising’ appear to have been invented for the defending champion, a 5ft 11in southpaw blessed with a face only a mother could love yet, rather ironically, advertised as ‘The White Swan’?!
The 32 year old is, however, a natural born fighter who, following back to back scalpings of US legends Roy Jones Jnr and James ‘Lights Out’ Toney last year, shall be eager to strengthen his claim to be considered the most dangerous 200lb fighter on this planet.
With 15 stoppage wins in 17 outings (one loss), opponent Cox appears a rather curious choice to make a voluntary title defence against. The West Indian, also a portsider but prone to switching, enters with a two inch edge in height at 6ft 1in and is not without amateur pedigree, having twice reached the final of the Central America and Caribbean Games, striking gold in 2002. ‘The Sniper’ also featured at the Melbourne Olympics back in 2000, plus two Commonwealth Games and two Pan Am Championships.
Now 37, Cox had already turned 32 when first dipping his toes into the professional code in September 2007 but hasn’t been hanging around since. Each of his 15 inside schedule victims were executed within the first three rounds and anyone wishing to savour a flavour of his combustibility should tune into his one round, three knockdown trouncing of one time WBC king and former Enzo Maccarinelli victim Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite on You Tube.
That was his most recent gig, last February and was executed in Braithwaite’s hometown of Georgetown, Guyana. While Cox may not have confronted the stiffest opposition yet and there isn’t a great amount of disguise to his work, if he connects clean and early with his meaty left fist, things could suddenly get very interesting.
His solitary reverse, on points over 12 to then unbeaten (17-0) Italian Salvatore Erittu in Sardegna in December 2009, provided crucial experience of competing overseas and confirmed he has the lungs to last the full championship trip. Whether he has the punch resistance remains unknown.
His jaw will certainly undergo a thorough testing from Comrade Lebedev who has himself wiped out 17 of his 24 opponents ahead of schedule and in rather more taxing company.
Hailing from Chekhov, Lebedev entered the profession back in February 2001 and was crowned Russian light-heavyweight champion in just his third fight. He made steady progress thereafter, first surfacing to prominence in the UK in July 2009 when he defeated Swansea’s ex WBO king Enzo Maccarinelli in a three round mauling at Manchester’s MEN Arena. The Ruskie had previously featured at that venue 10 months earlier, bashing up Battersea fireman Nick Okoth inside two rounds.
The Maccarinelli massacre persuaded promoter Frank Warren to make an investment and three subsequent meaningful stoppages over Ali Ismailov (16-2-1, WRTD 6), Ignacio Esparza (16-1, RSF4) and, most notably, a one shot, second round icing of ex world amateur champion Alexander Alexeev (19-1, going in) secured Lebedev his first world title opportunity against WBO king Marco Huck in Berlin. He is commonly believed to have been robbed by the judges losing a 12 round split decision in December 2010.
Nevertheless, his stellar showing fashioned the openings against Jones Jnr, who he ironed out with just two seconds remaining of their scheduled ten rounder, and Toney against whom he collected his WBA ‘interim’ title by winning all 12 rounds on every judges card.
The Russian’s greater experience and technique, added to home court and youth, will see him enter as a clear favourite although the 8-1 odds against Cox seem excessively generous given his firepower. Either way, the shootout is unlikely to consume too much of your time but should certainly be worth a tune-in. All logic points towards Lebedev emerging with his hand raised and solidifying his claim for unification fights.
Coverage of Lebedev v Cox will start on Wednesday 4th April at 5pm on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546).
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