Vasilli batters Kiwanuka

Nov 07, 2003

Former International Boxing Federation (IBF) cruiserweight champion Vasilli Jirov battered Ugandan cruiserweight pugilist Joseph

By Phillip Corry
and agencies

Former International Boxing Federation (IBF) cruiserweight champion Vasilli Jirov battered Ugandan cruiserweight pugilist Joseph “The African Express” Kiwanuka into submission in six rounds to claim the North American Boxing Organisation (NABO) belt Thursday night in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jirov, who improved his record to 33-1-0(29 KOs), pummelled Kiwanuka, who is now 27-6-2(20 KOs), from the start.

The Ugandan, now living in Las Vegas, tried to answer the bell for the seventh round of the scheduled 12-rounder, but ringside physician Robin McDougal examined a cut over his right eye and nodded to referee Bobby Ferrara. The referee stepped in and ended the fight.

The fight was the main event at the Thomas Erwin centre. It is the second straight fight Kiwanuka was not able to complete. The last one was stopped after seven rounds against Julio Gonzalez on April 27, 2002, after he sustained eye cuts and a broken nose.

Jirov, who won for Kazakhstan a gold at the 1996 Olympic Games but now lives in Arizona, has also been relatively inactive.

The bout was only Jirov’s third in nearly two years, and the second since James Toney out pointed him in 12 rounds on April 26 for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) crown.

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