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Home » Pro vs amateur KO branded ‘brutal, criminal’ by WBC President

Pro vs amateur KO branded ‘brutal, criminal’ by WBC President

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  • 2 min read

Controversy has already been created in the World Amateur championships in Russia as Bakhodir Jalolov scored a massive knockout against Richard Torrez.

A match-up in the 91+kg category at the AIBA worlds in Ekaterinburg saw Jalolov pitted against young Torrez in the Quarter-Final.

Jalolov, a 25 year-old professional with six KO’s from six starts, is due back in the ring only this month on September 29th.

The US-based Uzbek has taken time out of his paid schedule in order to take advantage of what seems a ludacrous rule.

Southpaw Jalolov is allowed to compete against the amateurs. Which on the evidence of the Torrez fight can make the decision look a bad one.

Jalolov KO

World Boxing Council President, a staunch opposer to the new AIBA allowance, made his feelings quite clear. Sulaiman wasn’t happy.

“Brutal and criminal to allow a professional boxer Jalolov from Russia with 6-0 as a pro to fight outclassed, outweighed and far smaller USA 20 year old amateur Torrez at the AIBA world championship in Russia,” pointed out Sulaiman.

“Jalolov is scheduled for his 7th pro fight in 11 days in USA,” he added.

REACTION

Some fans agreed with Sulaiman and echoed his sentiment.

One said: “That is disgusting and a terrible thing. A sad day when the people on top corrupted. Shame on them.”

A second stated: “Despicable. Jalolov needs to be put in the ring with (WBC champion) Deontay Wilder. To have his block knocked off by a real champ.”

In equal amounts, there were those who took the opportunity to point out Torrez is a good fighter in his own right.

They included respected UK journalist Ron Lewis, who replied to Sulaiman: “He was a super-heavyweight. The AIBA weights for heavy/super heavy (91kg) are basically same as WBC weights cruiser/heavy (200lb). I didn’t realize (the) WBC was pushing for new classification by height.

Lewis added: “Torrez is also a full-time athlete who has been boxing internationally for five years. Torrez has actually had around 120 bouts. Which is the vast majority. So he is hardly some raw kid. You are doing him a huge disservice to suggest he is.

“Facts are amazing if you bother to do any research.”