And both performed very well. Bytyqi beat the Hungarian Agnes Draxler (7-9) via a second round KO, and even though the referee Jan Teleki may’ve stopped the fight a bit prematurely, there was no question about the 19-year old’s dominance in the ring.
Sedlackova, who’s one year older than Bytyqi, came back in the ring after a one year modelling stint, and it showed. Her opponent, another Hungarian Alexandra Gorog (5-2-17), maybe tasted the canvas no less than four times, but still, Sedlackova could not stop her. She’s maybe as strong and explosive as she was before her absence from the ring, but against Gorog, she was lacking accuracy and timing in her punches.
That was not the case with Adam Deines (2-0), however, as the German registered a wide unanimous decision win against the Czech Jindrich Velecky (19-32). The home boxer appeared too clumsy and sluggish in the ring, and all in all wasn’t able to pose any serious threat to his slicker and quicker opponent.
As for the remaining bouts involving male boxers, the card also featured the younger brother of Fabiana Bytyqi, Sebastian (4-0), who as a super lightweight registered his fourth knockout victory in as many fights, beating his Georgian opponent Amir Abuladze (6-2) in the fourth round after two knockdowns courtesy of powerful hooks to the liver.
The card also featured the British veteran and former Mike Tyson conqueror Danny Williams (47-25), who literally demolished the loudly cheered for Usti giant Radek Varak (1-2) in three rounds. Varak thus wasn’t able to reproduce the sensational feat of his trainer Frantisek Kynkal, who beat Williams in Usti last year.
Fabiana Bytyqi: “The fight was a bit too short for my liking. The referee stopped it too early I guess. He could have given her a count instead of finishing the whole thing so quickly, but I’m still happy, as I could try out some stuff which we’ve been working on with Lukas in the gym, and also throw some combinations… The atmosphere in the arena was really great. I was surprised how packed Sluneta was. The people were great, supporting me all the time and giving me lots of energy… And my opponent? Well, I’ve finally met someone who’s even smaller than me 😉 She was very nice to me, giving me many smiles and even taking a selfie with me before the fight. The only thing that really bothered me was her tendency to constantly bend down and lean on me, which I really hate in the ring. The tracksuit felt OK, but after talking to Ulf Steinforth, we’ve decided to try a smaller size the next time I’m in the ring. I really appreciate him coming here to see my fight in person. As I’ve already said after my first fight, I really like his friendly approach. He immediately embraced us as his own, taking pictures with us before the fight and thanking us afterwards. I’d say he’s got the right attitude, always smiling and thinking positively.”
Lucie Sedlackova: “To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with my performance today. I tried hard to keep my focus during these last two rounds, as I wanted to please my trainer and finish the fight within the distance. But then again, it was my first fight after a long layoff, so I was really looking forward to it and wanted it badly! And I really enjoyed it! The atmosphere among the crowd was fantastic. When I hear the fans cheering for me, I enjoy the fights even more. But here, it was even better, as I had the support from my family and friends, which I’m really thankful for. As for my opponent, well, I was mainly aware of her southpaw stance, which I trained for in the gym. That was about all, so when I went in the ring, I really didn’t know what to expect from her. I’m very thankful for having the honor to represent our country and entering the ring with our national flag behind me. As for the tracksuit and gloves, I really loved it. It was a great idea, and I really appreciated it! It didn’t make me nervous – on the contrary, I felt even bigger support from my stablemates. It made me feel as if I had been entering something new, as if we were all of the same family. I’m really happy I was given this once in a lifetime opportunity to make a living from what I really love. I truly enjoy it and feel blessed when doing it. Finally, I can start living my dream to the fullest… The difference between amateur and professional boxing is tremendous. As for my fighting style, I’m still thinking as an amateur in the ring, and I’m perfectly aware that I need to change that. I need to alter my style, and above all, conserve my energy more wisely in the ring, which is something I’m yet to master. Compared to amateurs, professional boxing is a whole different ballgame. It’s something entirely different and new.
