Bigger's Better XXVI: Liepaja, Latvia & Mairis Briedis vs. Lubos Suda RBR

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Full card

Quarterfinal #1: Alexander Kartozia (Georgia) vs. Dmitry Bezus (Ukraine)
Quarterfinal #2: Ilian Ilie (Romania) vs. Joel Tambwe Djeko (Belgium)
Quarterfinal #3: Edgars Kalnars (Latvia) vs. Przemyslaw Stepien (Poland)
Quarterfinal #4: Sergei Maslobojev (Lithuania) vs. Eugen Buchmuller (Germany)

Semifinal #1: QF #1 vs. QF #2
Semifinal #2: QF #3 vs. QF #4

Final: SF #1 vs. SF #2

Special attraction - vacant IBA World Championship
Mairis Briedis vs. Lubos Suda, 12 rounds @ cruiserweight

 

This is the eighth and final Bigger's Better standalone tourney of the 2013 season. After tonight seeding will be completed for the Bigger's Better 27: King of 2013 card in Portugal on December 13th. It will pit all eight tournament winners against each other for ultimate supremacy.

Ali Baghouz of Belgium (BB19) vs. Evgenios Lazaridis of Greece (BB20)
Konstantin Airich of Germany (BB21) vs. Tomacz Sarara of Poland (BB22)
Bogdan Dinu of Romania (BB23) vs. Fabrice Aurieng of France (BB24)
Lucian Bot of Romania (BB25) vs. tonight's representative from BB26.

 

Yes, extremely similar format. It basically is mainland Europe's answer to Prizefighter.

However, there has been some controversy lately over whether or not they are 'officially' counted as professional bouts even though in every sense of the word they are sanctioned boxing matches. The participants, unlike Prizefighter, are often drawn from the ranks of different combat sports like MMA and kickboxing as much as from the usual pool of last-chance journeyman and dubious prospects that make up PF. So you have a lot of guys technically making their pro boxing debut. For whatever reason, they ceased including them on records at FightFax and Boxrec last year despite having included them for a long time already. Most of the matches have vanished, but oddly, some remain on the records of participants who already had existing boxing records. (especially in cases where in BB they were matched up with another established pro boxer).

My take is that BB and PF bouts ought to count on pro records, as they are in every way shape and form intended to - just as WSB bouts should only count toward amateur records, as they are in every way shape and form intended to.

 

This one is a bit unusual in that its 'special attraction' is a legitimate - if minor - title match between fringe contenders. Usually it's a circus act type of match, female boxing, or a minor kickboxing or MMA championship.

Briedis vs. Suda is actually something of a treat for once, and would probably deserve a main event on a typical Friday night EuroSport card.

 

Alexander Kartozia vs. Dmitry Bezus, 3 rounds @ heavyweight

 

Smoger!

 

Round 1

Kartozia is circling in and throwing uppercuts into Bezus' chest, holding on after each coupling. Bezus is jabbing on the outside and then leaning down on Kartozia, wrestling him down so that his back arches and head drops below Bezus' knees. Big whipping right hand by Bezus breaking out of a clinch. Kartozia tries to answer with his own looping right but doesn't cover the distance and scrapes against Bezus' arm. Clinch.

10-9 Bezus

 

Round 2

Kartozia is flopping into Bezus, winding both arms around his sides and trying to clamp his elbows down. Bezus shakes him loose and throws jabs and short looping rights into his head. Kartozia launches himself out a few inches and hooks his way back in with both hands, lunging upward. Kartozia connects with a few rabbit punches jumping up in the clinch while Bezus is hugging him in close. Lead right feint by Kartozia on the outside before shuffling further out. Another lead right, this one followed through on, blocked, clinch. Bezus sidesteps a right hand from Kartozia and leans down on his back, pushing him nearly to all fours.

10-9 Bezus

20-18 Bezus

 

This is a hideous opener.