Photo: Serkiz Buldukoglu – Former long-reigning WBO cruiserweight champ Marco Huck picked up a stoppage win his in his new campaign as a heavyweight. Last night in Munich, Germany 33 year old Huck stopped Yakup Saglam, 40-4 coming in, in the fourth-round. A huge right hand to the head draped Saglam over the top rope, eventually sending him down to the canvas, the 41 year old got up but the fight was waved off.
Huck improved to 41-5-1(28) in scoring his first win since suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of WBSS entrants Mairis Breidis and Oleksandr Usyk last summer. Huck has fought as a heavyweight before, back in February of 2012, when he pushed Alexander Povetkin all the way in dropping a majority decision in a WBA heavyweight title challenge. How much can Huck, who has had some long (a pro since 2004) and tough pro career, offer the current heavyweight division?
Saglam, while no top contender, was not a bad choice of opponent for the returning Huck. The older man had won his last six, Saglam turning out the winning streak following his June 2015 stoppage loss to future WBO heavyweight champ Joseph Parker, so at the very least Huck was in with an active and winning fighter. Never short on heart, guts and a strong willingness to fight the very best, Huck has been a great servant to the sport. Now it all depends on how much he has left in the tank.
Stopped just three times (by Steve Cunningham, seemingly an age ago now, in 2007, and more recently by Krzysztof Glowacki, in a thrilling battle, and by Usyk) Huck has a solid chin, but as to whether or not his chin is capable, at this stage of his career, to handle the big heavyweight punches, only time will tell. There could be some interesting heavyweight fights out there for Huck though.
One thing is absolutely guaranteed whenever Huck fights: entertainment and value for money – has he ever been in a bad fight!? Let’s wish Huck well in his heavyweight campaign.
