Ruslan Chagaev (23-0-1) vs. Matt Skelton (21-1-0)

Discussion in 'Boxing' started by speeds, Jan 16, 2008.

  1. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    A busy weekend of boxing coming up features WBA Heavyweight Championship action between unbeaten Uzbek Ruslan Chagaev and 40-year old Brit Matt Skelton in Dusseldorf, Germany. The winner of this fight is likely to face the winner of the Sultan Ibragimov vs. Wladimir Klitschko fight in February.

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  2. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Here is the line on this fight (SportBet):

    Ruslan Chagaev -1000
    Matt Skelton +600
     
  3. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Chagaev, undefeated at 24-0, beats Skelton, retains belt

    DUESSELDORF, Germany -- Ruslan Chagaev wore down Matt Skelton over 12 rounds Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision to retain his WBA heavyweight championship.

    Chagaev (24-0, 17 KOs), an Uzbek fighter making his first title defense, weathered Skelton's strong start and gradually took control from the fourth round with a strong left hand. He posted a one-sided win over Skelton (21-2), the 40-year-old British Commonwealth champion who took up boxing less than six years ago after a career as a kickboxer.

    Skelton tired after three strong rounds and was reduced to tying up Chagaev, who caught him with combinations when he had room.

    "This wasn't really fighting," Chagaev said. "You have to have some distance to fight."

    Two judges scored the fight 117-111, and the third favored Chagaev 117-110. Skelton failed to become the fifth British fighter to earn a major heavyweight title.

    "I know what the odds were against me," Skelton said. "I wanted it so much. Unfortunately I didn't make the pinnacle of the mountain."

    Chagaev, a two-time amateur champion, was 24 pounds lighter than Skelton, but already had proved he could beat bigger men. He won the WBA title in April by beating 7-foot Russian Nikolai Valuev, the biggest and heaviest champion in boxing history.

    "To unify all four titles, that will be my wish," Chagaev said. "I don't care who I fight next, that's up to my management."</div>
     

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