Craig Richards went looking for a dramatic finish in the 10th round. He nearly got one, just not the kind he wanted. Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic answered his late charge with a barrage that dropped the Londoner seconds before the final bell.
Richards beat the count, but the decision was long gone. Kalajdzic (31-3, 22 KOs) won 97-92 on all three cards in their light heavyweight co-main event at Zuffa Boxing 11 on September 26 at London’s Copper Box Arena. Richards (20-5-1, 13 KOs) had his moments, yet Hot Rod did more work in too many rounds for a late rally to change the result.
Kalajdzic had the quicker hands and kept finding room for his right hand. Richards was tough enough to stay with him and stubborn enough to keep pressing, which made this a better fight than those identical scorecards might suggest. But Richards often had to work harder just to get his punches off. Hot Rod was already answering, sometimes with several shots, before the home fighter could build on an opening.
The last round gave Richards his best chance to turn the night around. One account had him landing a liver shot on Kalajdzic before they traded down the stretch. Richards kept throwing, but Hot Rod met him with a burst of punches and put him down. Richards rose just before the bell.
Kalajdzic’s previous win came in far stranger fashion. Oleksandr Gvozdyk had dropped him twice and was well ahead before Hot Rod knocked out the former champion in the seventh. This time Kalajdzic did not need a rescue punch. He won rounds, held his pace and supplied the biggest moment at the end.
That leaves Richards with a frustrating result after three straight wins, including his late knockout of Dan Azeez. He fought hard at home, but Kalajdzic was too quick and too active. If Hot Rod wanted to show he belongs in another serious fight at 175 pounds, this was a much better argument than simply calling for one.