By Per-Åke Persson
American super middle Jeremy Cullors (9-4) lost a split decision to Finn Anton Embulaev (11-1) in one of the featured fights on Elite Boxing’s show in Kirkkonummi, Finland.
Cullors came out fast and floored Embulaev in the first round. The Finn got up and was under pressure but survived the round and gradually got going. In the fifth round heads clashed and Cullors was momentarily stunned while Embulaev poured it on.
The last few rounds were hard fought and difficult to score and after eight the judges had it 78-73 and 76-74 Embulaev and 77-75 Cullors.
Cruiserweight Keni Aliu (10-1) stopped Norwegian Andreas Skarvold Iversen in the second round. Aliu picked his punches well and in the second Iverson was against the ropes and the Finn opened up, scored cleanly and Iversen was cut and was about to get hurt for real when the referee stepped in and stopped it at 1.30. Iversen protested but it was one way traffic when it was called off.
Finnis super welter Rami El Jahiri (7-2-1) won the BBU title when Norwegian veteran Jamshid Nazari (11-5) retired after four increasingly one-sided rounds and didn’t come out for the fifth. Nazari, a very good amateur, who turned pro too late came in too heavy and was out of shape.
Norwegian light heavy Adrian Hagen (7-0) outscored Pole Lukasz Barabasz (4-20-1). It was scored 60-54, 59-55 and 58-56. Hagen is back in the ring already tomorrow (Sep 5) when he fights an exhibition at home in Norway against Rikart Fredriksen.
Czech Dominik Pesek (5-2) stepped in for the injured Liam Moore on Wednesday evening and took on local hero Ilari “Lover Boy” Kujala (13-0) and performed well – but was too inexperienced and lost every round of their six rounder. On the other hand Pesek knew enough to spoil the party for Kujala, who appeared to be a bit frustrated at the end.
