Legacy Sports Management staged a triumphant return to the boxing world yesterday with an evening of championship boxing that set the Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, alight.
The spotlight was on the main event, a clash between undefeated super welterweights: France’s European champion Milan Prat (20-0, 16 KOs), and Germany’s own rising star, Slawa Spomer (18-0, 9 KOs). Both warriors were set to defend their WBO Global and WBA Intercontinental titles in a 12-round duel that promised fireworks.
From the initial bell, the arena was charged with adrenaline as both pugilists unleashed swift combinations, probing each other’s defenses and resolve. Spomer seemed to edge ahead early, effectively parrying Prat’s advances and landing solid punches. Despite Prat’s strategic jabs to maintain distance, Spomer’s relentless assault was visibly overwhelming the Frenchman. The German’s tactical use of uppercuts pierced Prat’s defenses, plunging the latter into uncharted territory early in their championship bout.
Drama unfolded in the 4th round’s dying seconds when Spomer, cornered, unleashed a counter left hook that floored Prat. Desperate, Prat ejected his gum shield during the 10-count, a tactical reprieve from the abrupt knockdown, only to be rescued by the bell.
Round 5 saw Spomer, thriving on the home crowd’s energy, down his adversary again with a punishing flurry. Prat’s recurring gum shield expulsion bought precious seconds, yet the referee’s leniency went unchallenged.
Spomer, a veteran of grueling 10-round fights, leveraged this experience, pushing Prat to his breaking point. A seismic right in the 9th sent Prat crashing once more, and astonishingly, the Frenchman’s gum shield tactic was permitted again.
However, with just 21 seconds left in the 10th, Spomer’s double left hook sealed Prat’s fate, sending him spiraling to the canvas. The referee called a halt as Prat scrambled fruitlessly for equilibrium. Against the odds, Spomer emerged victorious, catapulting himself into contention for a fight on the world stage.
The event also saw former world champ, Austin ‘No Doubt’ Trout (36-5-1, 18 KOs), square off against Panama’s Omar Rodriguez (13-9-1, 6 KOs) in an 8-round super welterweight battle. Trout showcased his seasoned finesse, commanding the early fight, while Rodriguez’s aggressive approach earned him brief success. However, Trout’s seasoned tactics reasserted his dominance, clinching a unanimous decision.
Cuban cruiserweight, ‘The Rebel’ Mike Perez (28-3, 19 KOs), opened the night with a bang, dispatching veteran Rashad Karimov (36-3, 32 KOs) within the first round. Perez’s three knockdowns sent a resounding message to the division: “I’m ready for anyone in the cruiserweight division.”
The card also marked the boxing debut of noted MMA combatant, Islam Dulatov, against Colombia’s Wilmer Baron (6-2, 5 KOs) in the light heavyweight division. Despite an early lead by Baron, Dulatov turned the tables, pressuring Baron and securing a unanimous decision after a point deduction for Baron’s excessive holding.