By Mark Chekhanovskiy
21.07 - Last night, Vassily Jirov moved past the over the hill, Adolpho Washington in a 10 round slugfast. After methodically taking apart Washington, Jirov now sets his sites on the gluttonous James Toney, who doubtfully will ever be able to make it back to the cruiserweight limit of 190 again. At the last Toney sighting, he was seen looking like an Elvis impersonator, as he knocked out the pitiful Wesley Martin (13-30) last night. The division remains in the shadow of Jirov with Virgill Hill, Johny Nelson and Juan Carlos Gomez perceived as a paper champions. Jirov's victory over the old trial horse Adolpho Washington last night wasn't as brilliant a performance as usual due to the fact that he was fighting at 200 and his opponent was over 220. Certainly this big of a step up in weight class would have a detrimental effect on any fighters power. Still, Jirov didn't hurt his own credibility in this performance, as he seemed to toy with the ponderous Washington, and take great pleasure in hurting the big man with thuderous body punches that had him doubling over in pain.
Washington was the exact opposite of the champion Jirov. At 6ft 3ins, 224. Washington did not lack size but he failed to utilize his reach or size advantage against the smaller Jirov, as he was continously backed up against the ropes, where Jirov rattled him over and over with blistering punches to Washington's ample midsection. On several occasions during these brutal body attacks, Washinton looked like he wanted to quit, as he looked in sheer agony as the thudding blows, thrown by Jirov, ricocheted off his rib cage. In an action that would have to be interpreted as cowardice, Washington fell to the ground after one blow and begged the referee to penalize Jirov for his aggression, but the ref would have none of the cowards tricks, and so the beating continued. It was sad and disgusting to see the great Jirov chasing this hulking, and whining little quitter all over the ring, as it seemed to taint his victory.
Jirov won the first round by boxing on the outside, landing several nice combinations, but Washington, 20 pounds heavier, was more willing then the champion had anticipated and managed to tag Jirov several times with overhand rights.
Washington attempted to stay on the outside but it's more likely his pride got the better of him - and he abandoned his box-and-move strategy in the second round. He then tried to mix it up with Jirov on the inside and attempt to outslug him. He quickly found out that wasn't a wise move, as Jirov connected with a right uppercut, and a left hook to Washington's gut. At that point Washington realizing he was in for a long and painful night, stepped forward and flung his head at Jirov, and butted him. Immediately, Washington dropped like a rock onto the canvas, grimacing in pain as he looked up at the referee in hopes of having him stop the fight and save him from a further beating. Clearly it was unmistable what he was trying to do, as he didn't have the courage to take his beating like a man. Washington was hoping to have the fight ended prematurely due to cuts. But instead of Jirov receiving the cut from the head butt, it was Washington who ended up with a big laceration over his left eye.
Over the next 8 rounds Jirov blasted away at Washington at close range. Towards the end of the bout, Washington attempted to move around the ring in order to avoid the punishing body punches, but Jirov kept coming - he was determined to pressure his bulky opponent until he either knocked him out or he made him quit.
But Washington's efforts at escaping the punishment had no effect on Jirov, as he kept coming forward, machine-like in his single minded pursuit of the bleeding and beaten opponent. There was no stopping Jirov, as he caught up with Washington and pounded his stomach at will. By the 7th round, Washington was gasping for breath and showing fatigue due to Jirov's prolonged body attack.
In the 9th round, Washington again butted Jirov with his head, and it was an important reminder to all how desparate this beaten fighter wanted out of this fight. Jirov was simply too smart to be badly hurt by these tricks, as he would lower his head everytime Washington would lunge at him in a ram like fashion with his face, and would suffer little damage because of his brilliant defensive tactics.
Washington was stunned by a big right hook to his midsection in the 10th round, and was forced to withstand a continous beating that had him rocking back and forth on the ropes from the punishment. Somehow, after eating numerous power shots to the head, Washington was able to remain upright and was still standing at the end of the fight. Bleeding and battered, there was no question as to who was the winner in this affair, as Jirov, barely scratched walked out of the ring with a huge smile accross his face. Perhaps he was thinking of the huge payday that awaits him in the very near future against James Toney. Vasili Jirov Interview
Jirov dominates Washington
By Rick Normand
21.07 - IBF cruiserweight champion Vassily Jirov 29-0, 26 ko's won a tough 10 round decision over former cruiserweight champ Adolpho Washington 30-9-2, 17ko's. This bout was a non-title fight waged in the heavyweight division.
At 27 years of age Jirov is in his prime and proved too much for the game Adolpho Washington. Jirov controlled early with body shots that hurt his opponent Adolpho Washington at will. In rounds 1 both fighters traded bombs with the advantage going to Jirov. In the the 2nd round a head butt sent Washington to the canvas, he almost went down again in the second after a series of body shots and blows to the head.
By the 5th round Washinton was showing signs of tiring, and was buckled by a left to the body in round 6. A lesser man could have easily caved in under the relentless pressure that Jirov maintained.
Later, in the eighth, ninth and 10th rounds, Jirov looked ready to finish the fight but the knockout never came. Washington appeared to hit the canvas but he fought the final rounds determined to finish on his feet.
Two judges scored the bout 100-89 and the third judge scored it 99-90 giving Jirov a unanimous decision. Jirov improved to 29-0 by winning for just the third time by not knocking out an opponent.
Jirov: "I had my chances a couple of times to stop him. But I wanted to show people I could fight all 10 rounds, and I wanted to show all my skills so people can see what I can do.I was in total control every round, people saw I can fight and I showed myself, I´m ready. If they want to fight me, please, step in the ring with me."
In earlier action, Anthony Hanshaw decisioned Kingsley Ikeke in what appeared to be a very close fight. All 3 judges scored the fight 98-92. Also, Olympic featherweight Rocky Juarez KO'd Fabian Espinosa with a body shot in the 3rd round.
Jirov wants shot at Jones Jr
19.07 -In a press conference before his fight against Adolpho Washington, Vasili Jirov once again expressed his wish to fight Roy Jones Jr.
Jirov: "I´d like to fight him anytime. Bring his body inside the ropes and I´ll help him to leave the ring. I´ll focus on my job and do my other things, I enjoy what I´m doing and I´ll get ready for whoever I fight. If Jones comes along and says he wants to fight me, I´ll say, C´mon. Let´s go in the ring. Thank you for the chance and we´ll see who the best fighter is.
Jirov´s manager Ivaylo Gotzev added: "Roy Jones is really running from the serious fights, He´s pretty to watch. He´s got great moves. We might as well watch him shadow box. We want him to fight a real boxer. Here´s his opportunity to stop talking and start walking. His greatness will not show and I would not recognize him as whatever, a Hall of Famer..unless he fights somebody."
Gotzev said the Jirov camp will do all it can to make a fight with Jones possible. Gotzev: "The only way it will happen is if we get people talking about it, Roy Jones won´t do it unless the people demand it. He won´t even say the name Vassily Jirov because it sends chills through his body. He knows Vassily is the kind of boxer who can punch him to the body, and that´s how you beat Jones."
Gotzev said a Sept. 8 date against James Toney is next for Jirov. But first he must concetrate fully on his fight with Washington. Gotzev: "This is a very, very important fight for us, We are taking it very seriously. Vassily has great things coming up after this fight and we must not look past Adolpho."
Jirov´sa opponent Adolpho Washington, 30-8-2, said he knows very little about Jirov, "If there is something he can show me that I have not seen before, I´d like to see it. I just wanted TV time. I wanted to fight on TV and show people I am back and I am fighting."
