By Alexey Sukachev

The third time wasn't the charm for Ola Afolabi. Coming out of a draw in 2012 and a close loss in 2009, the Nigerian, who had been the WBO interim cruiserweight champion beforehand, was closely but deservedly outpointed by the defending champion Marko Huck in his third attempt at the maroon belt. Although Huck was in charge throughout the majority of rounds, Afolabi came strong at the end and got a draw on a card of the Holland judge but was rightfully chosen a loser by both the South African and the American judges. BoxingScene had it 115-113 - for Huck, who got stamped his dominance in a modern classic trilogy.

Afolabi, 33, wasn't in his best shape - unlike the German champion. He was rusty and he started slowly. Huck immediately got the better of the situation, landing a hard right hand to remind Afolabi of potential danger at the beginning of the first. Huck continued to dominate the opening stanza with his series of punches, while the Nigerian was lazy with his jab. Huck continued to break Afolabi down in the second with activity and sharp, calculated punches. The British African got his boost in the third and probably won one round back but Huck(at least made it to look close).

It was then, when tactics of both fighters were defined. Huck, 28, as always, worked in spurts but tired to move effectively between them. Afolabi showed determination in accomplishing his task - landing big body shots to the liver section of Huck. He had some success but it was Huck who connected with better shots, and those shots were head punches. Afolabi showed resilience, taking these bombs and walking through them only to be forced into clinches and some dirty action by Huck - his usual and trademark tricks (like punching in the break, roughing, punching behind the back of the head) being clearly seen. Huck had an upper hand in rounds four and five, Afolabi made a slight comeback in the sixth but the seventh and the eighth stanzas were in the German's favour.

Sensing he was trailing on the scorecards, Afolabi tried to elevate the tempo in the final quarter of the fight. He stopped to concentrate on the Huck's body and started to target his chin. He did land some grazing shots in the ninth and in the tenth, as the battle promptly turned into a grualing war of attrition. Both combatants were fatigued but Afolabi was delivering more. The sense though was that it was too late and (maybe) too little too. Huck lost the beginning of the twelfth but then came back strong during the last minute, erasing any doubt as to who was a real winner here. Judge Lahcen Oumghar (Netherlands) had it 114-114, but he was outruled by Deon Dwarte (RSA) - 115-113, and Jon Madfis (USA) - 117-111, making the eleventh defense of his WBO title (the first and the ninth also being against the Nigerian). Huck is now 36-2-1, with 25 KOs, while Afolabi is dropped to 19-3-4, with 9 KOs.

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It's not a pleasant thing to find your own limitations. Both Robert Woge of Germany and Pole Dariusz Sek, a pair of undefeated light heavyweights, found their limitations a hard way in a bruising battle for Woge's IBF I/C title. The German fighter prevailed, outpointing Sek unanimously over twelve and limiting the level of the Pole, but also showed a number of his blemishes, still too blatant for him to be considered an elite fighter.

Woge, 29, started very successfully, sending Sek down midst into the first on a combination of a hard left hand and a sweeping right hook to the chin of Sek. The Polish battler, fighting out of a southpaw stance, came back later in rounds three, four and five, taking aggressive but limited Woge to school, landing uppercuts and stiff jabs to the face of German. However, Woge, has never stopped trying, bringing power with him but leaving his guard and feints in between. He was countered well by the Pole, but Sek was too inactive. He fought in spurts and he moved backwards, despite landing cleaner shots to the head and body of Woge. The latter, on the other hand, threw more and delivered more punching power. Sek, 26, had a beatiful chance to make the fight equal in its midst but lost this opportunity, delivering less heat he should have been under those circumstances.

A big mouth under his left eye on and with less fuel remained in his tank, the Polish fighter ended the bout on a receiving end of Woge's gloves. The German fighter ended the bout confidently though showing a limited nature of his skills and talent. At the end, Giovanni Lamusta (Italy) had it 118-110 - for Woge, and he was supported by Deon Dwarte (RSA) - 117-110, while Holland's Mufadel Enghazaoui scored a much closer fight: 114-113 - for Mr. Woge. BoxingScene had it 116-111 - also for Robert Woge.

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German super middleweight prospect Tyron Zeuge (8-0, 5 KOs) notched his third win this year, outpointing unanimously his SPanish opponent David Sarabia (6-3-2, 1 KO) over eight. Zeuge, 21, was a better fighter of the two, though the elusive and awkward Spaniard threw in some nice punches too. Zeuge was less effective than usual but overwhelmed his foe with activity and consistency. Sarabia was also deducted a point in round six for punching behind the back of Zeuge's head. BoxingScene had it 78-73 - for the German.

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IBF #8, WBA #12 and WBC #13 ranked light heavyweight Eduard Gutknecht (25-2, 9 KOs) made a successful comeback from his February loss to fellow countryman Juergen Braehmer to get a wide unanimous decision over rugged but limited Uruguayan veteran Richard Vidal (14-4-1, 7 KOs) for a vacant WBA I/C title.

Vidal, 37, was aggressive but fought in short spurts, trying to land hard, damaging blows to Gutknecht. The German fighter, six years his junior, was less aggressive but more consistent, fighting behind a steady guard, using all usual tools of your typical German boxer, delivering activity over punching power, and power in series rather than power in single shots. The first half of the contest turned into a war of uppercuts. Vidal had some success in close quarters but was mostly (and soundly) outboxed at the distance. When Vidal did try to initiate exchanges in close quarters, it was Gutknecht who had an edge - thanks to his flexibility and speed.

As the bout progressed, Vidal got more and more tired and started to eat more and more punishing leather from his counterpart. His spurts became considerably scarcer and less effective. Gutknecht was delivering more and more blows in each round, but Vidal's chin hold up and his will too. In the twelfth round, both boxers collided with each other, initiating an accidental headbutt. Gutknecht tried to finish off the guest from Uruguay, but Vidal survived till the final bell. At the end, scores were: 120-108 (twice) and 119-109 - all for Eduard Gutknecht.

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In a fight between two undefeated cruiserweights, a minor upset occured, as the WBA #8 rated Donetsk-based Georgian Yago Kiladze (now 20-1, 13 KOs) got knocked out cold by the Congolese Frenchman Youri Kayembre Kalenga (16-0, 10 KOs) at just 1:55 of the second round.

Kiladze, 27, tried to outbox his opponent, while Kalenga, 25, chose rather to swing than to dance with the Ukrainian Georgian. Soon defense was thrown out of the window, which clearly favoured the French fighter. Early into the second both fighters got caught almost simultaneously and wen down but it wasn't ruled a double knockdown. Kiladze was one, who was hurt, and Kalenga soon found it out. He started to deliver harder shots, and one of his right swings sent Kiladze down for the count, with trainer Ulli Wegner shaking his head in utter disbelief. A huge win for Kalenga and a bitter setback for Kiladze, the WBA I/C champion.

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Eight fights since the beginning of his professional career, Enrico Koelling, 2012 London Olympian for Germany, got his first stoppage victory. Koelling (now 8-0, with 1 KO), 23, also posted his most important win so far, stopping 42-year old light heavyweight veteran Armin Dollinger (21-4, 8 KOs), who was boxing for the first time in a year and a half. It was a typical Koelling's performance. The German fighter was methodical, willy and workmanlike but hardly memorable in any of his ring activities. However, cuts over Dollinger's eyes were memorable indeed. He was first cut badly in the first - over his left eyebrow. He was eating jabs and occasional right hands from Koelling for the next three rounds, which resulted both in more and more blood, dripping from his left cut, and also in a bad cut over his right eye too. At the start of the fifth, with his face badly marred up with blood, Dollinger's corner chose to retire their fighter for good.

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Rising German/Armenian cruiserweight Noel Gevor improved his record to 8-0, with 5 KOs, after a workmanlike unanimous decision over Argentinean veteran Juan Manuel Garay (20-14, 12 KOs). Garay, who has once upset previously undefeated German Martin Kempf but then lost to other Sauerland Event's prospects Dustin Dirks and Lukas Schulz, tried to deliver one finishing touch with wide, too wide in fact, swings. Gevor easily boxed his ears off, utilizing his height advantage and potent jab, which was his couldn't-miss weapon all night long. Gevor is 22 and slowly getting more and more experience