Live Blog: Leapai vs. Klitschko & Browne vs. Bahoeli
Aus-Boxing will have a live blog for round-by-round updates for the historic heavyweight title fights, first from Sheffield, England where Lucas Browne faces off against Eric Bahoeli for the vacant Commonwealth heavyweight title. We will then provide round-by-round updates for Alex Leapai’s challenge for world title glory when he challenges Wladimir Klitschko for his WBO/WBA/IBF/IBO heavyweight titles from Oberhausen, Germany.
Browne vs. Bahoeli is scheduled to take place at roughly 5:30 a.m. EST, while Leapai vs. Klitschko is scheduled to take place at 7:00 a.m. EST.
Check out the live blog for both title fights below.
Lucas Browne (19-0, 17 KOs) KO 5 Eric Bahoeli (10-3, 7 KOs)
12 Rounds, Heavyweight – vacant Commonwealth (British Empire) and WBC Eurasian Boxing Council heavyweight titles
Round 1: Bahoeli busy early on, working on his jab. Browne content to stalk and pick his shots. Bahoeli moving well. Browne content to work on the outside, but at this point – he’s being outboxed. Browne closes the round with a two punch combination, which let’s Bahoeli know he’s there too.
Bahoeli much busier but wary of Browne’s power. Browne stuns Bahoeli with a right hook. Canadian starting well, takes first round. 10-9 Bahoeli.
Round 2: Browne looking a little nervous in the second, also standing very upright. Both Bahoeli and Browne showing plenty of respect here. Just as we’re about to comment on Browne’s lack of activity, he floors Bahoeli with a huge-right hand. Bahoeli folded over, almost as if he’s not getting up. Bahoeli makes it to the bell, but Browne almost ended it here. Bahoeli looks shakey but survives the round. Great shot from Browne. 10-8 Browne.
Round 3: Browne working off his left jab. Big right is the key weapon. Bahoeli coming back into it now. Growing in more confidence. When Bahoeli avoids exchanges, he still looks lively and potentially threatening. Browne has established his power early and Bahoeli respects it. Accidental head-clash with a cut above his left-eye as doctor inspects, terrible cut despite doctors approval.
Bahoeli trying to finish it. Blood streaming down Browne’s face. This could be stopped. They need to stem that blood flow. 10-9 Bahoeli.
Round 4: Browne is behind as he realises that the fight may potentially be stopped due to the bleeding. After the cut is inspected for a second time as Browne goes for broke, they stand toe-to-toe as Browne floors Bahoeli again. Despite the knockdown Bahoeli has success with his left-hook, but once again Browne shows he can end it with one punch. 10-8 Browne.
Round 5: Although Bahoeli has been floored twice, he still looks threatening. But every time Browne launches himself onto the Canadian, he appears to be hurt. Genuine concern about the cut as Bahoeli is floored for a third time. It’s all over – Browne has done it. The first Australian in over a hundred years. He might have limitations, but Browne can punch!
It was a very dramatic fight, great killer instinct from Browne to finish him off as Browne wins by knockout.
Wladimir Klitschko (61-3, 51 KOs) TKO 5 Alex Leapai (30-4-3, 24 KOs)
12 Rounds, Heavyweight – unified WBA/WBO/IBF/IBO heavyweight titles
Round 1: Impressive first round for Klitschko. He does well controlling the distance and floors Leapai with what looks like a soft combination. Not too much action of note, but it’s all Klitschko thus far. 10-8 Klitschko.
Round 2: Leapai getting frustrated as he struggles to land anything at note. Leapai resembling Rocky Balboa as he eats jabs with every passing minute. Klitschko dominating as he really hasn’t been hit clean – yet. 10-9 Klitschko.
Round 3: At this point, Leapai needs to change his gameplan as Klitschko is doing this easily. Leapai having more success avoiding shots with his ducking and weaving. But Klitschko is landing almost everything he throws. Closes the round with another trademark two-punch combination. 10-9 Klitschko.
Round 4: Tactics in the fourth change as Klitschko takes the back seat. This strategy works well as Leapai is getting teed off everytime he comes in. Leapai doing much better at avoiding the right-hand in this round, but Klitschko buzzes him with a clean right-hand in the closes seconds. Not looking good here. 10-9 Klitschko.
Round 5: Leapai has his best moment when he hurts Klitschko with a right hand over the top. In a remarkable turn-around, Klitschko follows up with his own combination and floors Leapai. Klitschko storms in for a finish and floors Leapai for a second time – its over. Klitschko TKO 5
Images: MAIN EVENT/Hatton Promotions