Tonight in Grozny, Russia on the Chagaev-Browne card, Kazakhstan-born German based heavyweight Edmund Gerber scored an impressive yet at the same time somewhat predictable 2nd-round KO over the experienced and well-travelled Brian Minto.
Gerber, now known as Vlad Gerber, came out fast in the opening round and was soon catching the smaller, older Minto with his right hand to the head. Minto, now aged 41 and quite a way past the form that saw him challenge WBO cruiserweight champ Marco Huck in 2010, gave it a go tonight but he was outgunned. Minto threw some power punches, often wildly, and he did get home with a right hand in the opener, only to be countered by a left hook that sent him reeling into the ropes.
In the 2nd, Gerber, aged 27 and having his third fight since being stopped, for the only time in is career, by Dereck Chisora, turned it up accuracy-wise. A sharp straight right hand dropped Minto heavily and though the man from Butler beat the count and bravely tried to fight back, another right hand to the head soon decked him for a second time. This time, the referee waved the fight off instantly, neglecting to count. The official time was 2-minutes and 14 seconds of the 2nd-round.
Gerber, looking fast and powerful, all the more so against the smaller, possibly finished Minto, is now 26-2(17). Minto, who might have to give it a serious think about retiring, falls to 41-11(26).
Gerber, if he is matched sensibly, could make some more noise in the division. Not a huge heavyweight himself at 6’3,” the contender who has beaten such decent names as Michael Sprott (also losing on points to Sprott) Maurice Harris and Darnell Wilson was thought of as a future title challenger back in 2012. The loss to Chisora, which came in London, exposed Gerber in the eyes of many, but at age 27, he is perhaps young enough to improve on that form and feature in meaningful fights in the coming months.
Okay, he was expected to win tonight, but Gerber could have made harder work of it than he did. A decent win for him, one that will have restored some more of the confidence he lost due to the Chisora setback.
