05.12.05: Denmark’s undefeated cruiserweight contender Lasse Johansen improved his undefeated record to 14-0 (10) on Saturday night, December 3, at the Hotel Hilton in Prague, Czech Republic. Johansen co-headlined a show promoted by OK-KO Promotions, and disposed of Slovakian Frantisek Kasanik, 5-1 (5), in the fifth of a scheduled ten-rounder. A packed crowd of about 1500 at the hotels ballroom watched on..
This was the third time that Johansen boxed in the Czech Republic, having beaten undefeated local heroes, 9-0 Lubos Suda (for the IBF International title) and 6-0 Pavol Polakovic, earlier this year. Consequently the Dane has build himself a respected name on those parts, and this time he didn’t disappoint either. He floored Kasanic quickly in the first round, hurt him again in the second, and continued his attack, almost without pause, until the fifth where the extremely hard-headed and brave Slovakian finally crumpled and was stopped by the referee after another knockdown.
Jiri Svacina, who registered a majority decision over Russian Vitaly Mugonov, won the actual main event on the card, a bout for the Czech International light heavyweight crown. The judges scored the contest 97-93, 97-93 and 95-95. Svacina took his record to 7-2 (0), and Mugonov dropped to 10-3 (1). With the knockout-ratios of these two, it was bound to go the full ten rounds.
Scottish-German heavyweight puncher Marcel Zeller had a very easy time getting rid of Ihar Shukala from Byelorussia. It was all over in the second round after several knockdowns, and Shukala looked hapless from the start. The 32-year-old Zeller is now 14-2 (13), while Shakula goes to 15-5 (8). The bout was scheduled for six.
Cuban exile Miguel Velozo looked flashy at times, but hardly impressed in his decision victory over six rounds against winless Piotr Tomaszek from Poland. Velozo, a light heavyweight, looked much bigger than Tomaszek, but did too much posing, and had to travel the full route against a guy he probably should have stopped early. Velozo went to 2-0 (1), and Piotr lost for the seventh straight time.
Local cruiserweight Roman Kracik upped his ledger to 20-1 (13) with a hard-fought split decision after six rounds over Slovakian Vladimir Idranyi, who fell to 2-4 (0). Kracik was expected to have a much easier time with his less experienced opponent, but couldn’t get his aggressive style to work for him on the night. In another cruiserweight fight, journeymen Daniel Jerling, now 14-16 (5), and Rene Hübner, 8-10-2 (3), gave each other a good scrap, which Jerling narrowly edged by a split verdict.
The rest of the bill saw Namibian import Gotlieb Shileka come from behind to stop Frantisek Simek in the fourth, and improve his record to 11-1 (7). Simek is now 4-2 (2). This was a light middleweight bout scheduled for six rounds. Female bantamweight Eva Liskova improved to 5-2-1 (1), winning on points after four against Petra Jachmanova, now 2-14-1 (0).