Chudinov Gets WBA Gold, Split Decision Over Felix Sturm

By Alexey Sukachev

There are certain sacred dates for some people, sometimes - for entire nations. Fighting on the day of his Homeland's greatest win ever, having some extra tonnage of political shades in a rapidly polarizing world, WBA interim champion Fedor Chudinov showed an unusual mix of genial strategy and high boxing IQ to snatch a classy victory over a four-time middleweight champion Felix Sturm in his breakthrough fight.

Chudinov, fighting on his opponent's home turf, let Sturm hadvesome mild success in the first half only to dominate the ethnic Bosnian after the mid-point. One judge (Victor Simmons of Panama) had it for Sturm - 116-112 - no matter what. He was overruled by Jose Manuel Garcia Reyes of Spain, who had it 116-112 - for the Russian, and by Robert Hoyle, who had it 118-110 - also for Chudinov, the newly crowned WBA super middleweight champion.

The fight was full of shades and tiny nuances - both before, during and after the contest. There was a political shade as Chudinov came in wearing a uniform of "Russian Bikers" (also known as "Night Wolves"), an ultra-patriotic community, which was in the epicenter of political controversy between Russia and the Western States during the last two weeks.

There was an alphabet shade, as the fight status was elevated from that of the interim moniker to a regular one under the WBA rules, following a recent decision of this sanctioning body to strip Carl Froch of his title, with a prospect of further elevation into a full champion's recognition in case of Andre Ward's loss - either inside the ring (against Paul Smith) or outside it (failing to defend his title against an opponent, defined by the WBA).

Finally, there was a family shade, as Fedor, 27, is a younger brother of ex-WBA interim champion Dmitry Chudinov, who lost to Chris Eubank Jr. just two months ago. Dmitry, once touted as a bigger talent than Fedor - based on their amateur achievements, was working his brother corner alongside the rest of the team.

TBRB #7 ranked super middleweight Sturm, 36, tried to establish his jab and to get some room for his body attacks in the first round, which was mostly even with a little edge in favour of Chudinov. The German (also rated #2 by the WBA, with Chudinov occupying the top spot in the same ranks) did better in the second, being more active with his punches and pressing the action. Sturm continued to do so in the third stanza, but Chudinov countered him well. However, he wasn't putting too much power into his punches, making the look pitty-pat feather blows. It wasn't accidental as it would be proven in ten or so minutes.

Sturm stepped up his game in the fourth round and looked superior to Chudinov for the next three rounds. The German was outworking the Russian, landing more and at a higher percentage. Chudinov, calm and reserved, took this leather well but intentionally struggled to counter those shots. Meanwhile Sturm was working hard and it paid him off on the scorecards. Sturm's jabs were telling and he landed some body blows but clearly not enough to make Chudinov lose his power.

When it seemed the fight was floating into the ex-champion's direction, its pattern has been drastically changed by Chudinov and his corner. Working as it had been planned beforehand, Chudinov came out very aggressive in the seventh round to force Sturm on the defensive. In a crucial moment of the fight, Chudinov ate a myriad of annoying jabs and some power punches, went through them and added some long-lasting punishment onto Sturm at the end of the round. Sturm was never the same again.

In the eighth, Chudinov showed another side of his talent starting to move around the ring, hitting in spurts, easily avoiding being hit by the German. In the ninth, the Russian planted his feet several times to land much more powerful bombs then in the first half of the fight. The next three minutes turned into pure hell for Sturm, who was pinned from pillar to post all round long. Chudinov's punches were now telling, damaging, destructive. Sturm was groggy in some moment but his chin held up, and in one critical point he was saved by inexperience of Fedor, who began to seek for his mouthpiece instead of adding some more damage. The German had his final say in the eleventh, his best round during the second half but Chudinov matched his aggression with power of his own. The last round was also in his favour, though Sturm fought it to the very end.

At the end of the day, Sturm is now 39-5-3, with 18 KOs, with his future in mud. Chudinov improves to 13-0, 10 KOs, with some bright prospects ahead of him. Referee was Rafael Ramos from Texas, USA.

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The Golden Jack Culcay-Keth, 29, added a professional "world" title to his previously acquired 2009 Milano amateur world championship's gold medal with a solid win over rugged but very determined compatriot Maurice Weber over twelve heated rounds for a vacant WBA interim light middleweight title.

In a battle of well-travelled journeymen, much more skilled Kazakhstani native Andreas Reimer (10-12-2, 9 KOs) stopped Mazen Gierke (13-60-2, 1 KO) with a left hook to the body at 2:10 of the third round.

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29-year old Germany-based Montenegrin Konni Konrad (22-1-1, 11 KOs) continued his undefeated series with a kayo victory over Ukrainian veteran Vasyl Kondor (18-14-1, 5 KOs). The fight was stopped at 2:37 of the fifth round.

Both Konrad, originally Mevludin Cokovic, and Kondor had four-year long lay-offs previously in their respective careers. Konrad fought just once between his 2006 close loss to future WBO champion Denis Inkin and September 2012 victory over Ata Dogan, while Kondor missed the span of four between 2010 and 2014. 

IBF #8, WBA #12 and WBO #14 light heavyweight Konrad looked superior to his opponent in the first round, and then dropped Kondor hard with a left-right counter combo midst into the third, after the Ukrainian had some success in the second round. Konrad also hurt his right hand in the third stanza. Kondor, 34, bravely marched forward but had problems neutralizing Konrad's remaining left hook. He failed to do so, as Konrad has finally caught him with a left bomb late into the third, dropping Kondor very bad. Referee stopped the contest as Kondor was wobbling around the ring after an initial get-up.

In a battle of grizzled, aged, and faded heavyweight veterans, Bosnian Adnan Redzovic (16-1, 5 KOs) came back into a winning column with a solid stoppage of overmatched Kosovo native Bekim Pagga (5-8, 3 KOs), six years his senior. Redzovic, 38, suffered his first career loss in a close fight against hulking Swiss kayo artist Arnold Gjergjaj with a ninth-round stoppage. He did better versus very faded Pagga, who had his own moments but was mostly outgunned and outboxed. Pagga was down in the third after a left uppercut by Redzovic and had absolutely nothing left choosing to retire in his corner after the third round.

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In a minor upset, 23-year old Kazakhstani-born ethnic German Alex Born (6-0-1, 2 KOs) suffered his first career blemish, being held to a draw by determined Romanian middleweight Ionut Damian (1-3-1) in a four-rounder. Born was tagged several times in the first by hard right hands and stiff jabs by Damian, 19. He evened things up in the next couple of rounds but the Romanian showed character beating Born to the punch in the last round. However, he was also deducted a point for the dangerous use of his head in the same stanza. BoxingScene cored the fight 38-37 - for the underdog, while no official cards were disclosed.

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