Home Boxing News Watch: Crushing knockout over Charr puts Briedis on the map

Watch: Crushing knockout over Charr puts Briedis on the map

Mairis Briedis

Most international fighters who wish to change their careers for the better often move to make to establish themselves with fight fans in the United States and United Kingdom.

A move to a politically-savvy adviser or evocative promoter might be the way to go for a fighter wanting to break free of domestic isolation. Mairis Briedis (17-0-0 14 KO’s) is more of the same — having signed with a leading US promoter in Kathy Duva’s Main Events just four months ago.

Like Duva had for Sergey Kovalev some years ago, she has an image for a roster stocked full of cumbersome surnames like (Arif) Magomedov, (Dmitry) Mikhaylenko, and Briedis. They let their fists do the talking while she does the legwork in introducing them to the public.

Briedis, 30, comes from Latvia. A small heavyweight by today’s standards (6’1 in height), Briedis fought only once under the banner of Main Events before last Saturday. His best win probably came over Belgian Ismail Abdoul or Czech Lubos Suda before he fought Manuel Charr, a Lebanese based in Germany with a 28-3 record and world ratings over his head. Still, it drew little fanfare outside of Grozny, Russia, where the eight-rounder capped a small show by Vasily Kostenko’s SKV Boxing.

It might have taken a few rounds for Briedis to willfully land his best power shots on the veteran, but once he did, there was no turning back. Charr spent much of the fight pushing forward; expending energy to work the man 31lbs lighter than he towards the ropes but accomplishing little for his troubles. In round five, Charr actually had Briedis where he had thought he wanted him, when the end struck. His baiting, careful footwork played to his advantage Bredis’ right uppercut landed perfectly; sending shockwaves through the former world title challenger’s body. A left hook followed inordinately, and Charr crashed to the floor.

Whether he has the frame to challenge for the title in a league of mammoths has yet be seen. But, there is no doubt of him having the punch to devastate. See here: