By James Slater: Moments ago in Moscow, Russia, interim WBA cruiserweight champ Denis Lebedev, fighting before a passionate home crowd, scored an impressive, explosive one-punch KO over challenger and fellow southpaw Shawn Cox of Barbados.
The end came as 32-year-old Lebedev backed the challenger into the ropes and the teed off with a hard lead left hand to the head. Cox, five years the older man, went down heavily and he was unable to beat the count. The official time was 2-minutes and 40 seconds of the 2nd-round.
Lebedev, making the first defence of the interim belt, is now 24-1(18). Cox, a largely unknown fighter, is now 16-2(15).
A dangerous if wild slugger, “Sniper” Cox came out and tried his best to take the heat to Lebedev in the opening session. On one occasion a sharp left hand caught the Russian on the chin and Lebedev’s legs stiffened for a second or two. Lebedev regrouped and targeted the body of Cox, landing some good work and also letting go with a borderline low blow. Cox was swinging all the time, hoping to get lucky with a bomb. An exciting round.
Lebedev stunned Cox with a left to the head of his own in the 2nd, and the challenger looked unsteady. Seeing Cox wobble a touch, the champ opened up and went for it. It was all Lebedev now, much to the delight of the crowd. Then, his man backing up with no place to go, Lebedev landed a hard lead left upstairs, sending the older man to the mat. The fight was all over, as quickly as that.
A good win for Lebedev, but he really must step up his competition now. Last time out he beat a shot-looking James Toney (aged 43) and before that, Lebedev scored a shockingly violent KO over another faded great in Roy Jones Junior (aged 42). Who will the interim champ face next? Hopefully a young rival.
Tonight’s main event was preceded by a quite bizarre rap appearance by the aforementioned Jones Junior. Entering the arena in boxing gear, Jones wore a microphone and sang (or mimed) a couple of rap numbers. Entering the actual ring as though to fight, Jones left by saying he “ain’t going nowhere.”
Does Jones plan on fighting again? You bet he does! Hopefully we will not see him engaging Lebedev in a return. Also in attendance was British heavyweight Dereck Chisora (he didn’t sing but he did have a dance) – “Del Boy” took to the mike, stating that he plans to have a big announcement for Moscow fight fans by the end of the year.
In other action on the card:
Oleg Liseev SD 8 Artur Akavov
Eduard Trojanovskij UD 6 Yauheni Kruhlik
Denis Bakhtov SD 8 Jonte Willis
Alexander Bakhtin UD 12 Nehomar Cermeno