8-round co-main event on a PolSat Sport card on Friday. Big step up for Cieślak, a 17-0 (11) cruiser in his sixth year in the pros, whose biggest victory to date was over Puerto Rican stylist Francisco "The Wizard" Palacios in 2016...but a Palacios who by then, pushing 40, was shot to bits after two battles with Diablo Włodarczyk and then getting KTFO by Kudryashov. "El Toro" Kalenga, a Congolese-French walking brick house who reigned briefly as interim WBA cruiserweight titlist, has fallen on a rough patch and lost four of his last seven.
Main event is Viktor Kotochigov vs. Piotr Gudel for the vacant Republic of Poland International super featherweight title.
You reckon Kalenga has lost a step or would you still think he'd lose if they fought before his recent slump?
I have a feeling Kalenga is going to be destroyed by Cieslak, quitting against Masternak tells me that he's ready to retire and is probably showing up fr a paycheck now, an his heart is not in it anymore. He's fully accepted being a journeyman now. But even if he does show up, Cieslak is good, I doubt Kalenga has enough to win outright either. So regardless of which version shows up, I think Cieslak beats him.
I just can't help but wonder if there's a reason Cieślak has been protected and brought along this slowly..
Part of it had to do with a PED positive that kept him out of the ring for a year. Also that's kind of par for the course in Poland, Szeremeta and Sulecki took forever it seems to face a live body.
Yeah no, I got that, but although people may have forgotten now Kalenga for a time was considered very dangerous, the sort about whom you wouldn't have to worry (regarding the judges coming into play) if there was even a hint of, say, Polish glass being harbored.
Cieslak looked good recently vs. Bacurin and Radchenko. I expect him to win that quite comfortably like 6-2 or 7-1 rounds, maybe with a KD. He's a big CW. Kalenga might be in better condition than vs. Masternak but can't see him do damage here. Only if Cieslak gets sloppy like he did vs. Jezewski.
