Though he engaged in a number of big fights with big names, and though he once wore the WBO heavyweight crown and looked, for a time, to be on his way to big things, Siarhei Liakhovich is probably best known to fight fans for his losses – to Shannon Briggs, who knocked him clean out of the ring when trailing on points, and to Deontay Wilder, who scored an especially scary-looking KO win over “The White Wolf;” leaving him violently convulsing on the canvas, his body twitching disturbingly.
That 2013 loss to Wilder, who was then 28-0(28) signalled the end for the man from Belarus, those fans who saw the nasty knockout were certain of it. Instead, quite amazingly, Liakhovich came back the following year. Beating a journeyman, Liakhovich then faced Andy Ruiz, managing to go the distance with the Mexican/American in December of 2014.
Since then, Liakhovich has fought once, picking up a decent win over Ramon Olivas, who was then 14-7, in October of 2017. But now, according to invaluable site BoxRec, the 43 year old who held the WBO title in 2006, is set to fight again – this September, in Scottsdale, against TBA in a scheduled 10 round bout.
Who knows what we can expect if the fight actually goes ahead. Liakhovich has been in some real wars – his 2006 title win over Lamon Brewster was a great one – and he has been KO’d or stopped five times in his seven pro defeats. Again, it was very surprising Liakhovich wanted to fight on after that wicked taste he’d had of Wilder’s sizzling power, but to be fighting on now, at age 43; well I guess we have seen stranger things, as in stranger comebacks.
Liakhovich looked like a real force to be reckoned with when he upset Brewster, but things didn’t go his way; Liakhovich losing the WBO belt in his first defence when Briggs sent him reeling with precious seconds remaining in the final round of their fight. The odds are unlikely to be in Liakhovich’s favour in this latest comeback. But let’s see what happens if it does happen. Briggs-Liakhovich II, anyone!
