Bielski vs. Khaliq
By Stephen Noble
A
shocking knockout loss for Jacek Bielski (photo:
Boxing.pl) against the reigning champion Jawaid
Khaliq.
On Saturday night Jacek Bielski suffered
a shocking knockout loss in the fifth round, as he
looked to snatch the world title from Khaliq on his
first defence. After landing some good clean shots,
Bielski tried to rush in and finish the English fighter.
Unhappily for him, he left his chin exposed, and was
caught with a clean shot to the chin. This stunning
reversal sent the partisan home crowd into ecstasy,
while Bielski could only watch the celebrations of
the opposite corner.
The fight had actually begun slowly,
with neither man willing to commit himself to a sustained
assault. Bielski seemed wary of Khaliq's reach advantage
and unorthodox style. Khaliq always a slow starter
seemed content to keep Bielski away with a pawing
left jab. Bielski lacked his usual intensity and workrate,
throwing single punches, rather than combinations.
In the first round Bielski suffered
an ugly gash on his forehead, this was to cause him
problems for the duration of the fight. Khaliq's constant
movement and reach advantage was making it hard for
the Polish fighter to find his range. Khaliq was taking
the points for each round, without having to do too
much work. There were some signs at the end of the
fourth round that Bielski was going to open up and
raise his work-rate. By this stage though he had been
cut again.
This may have been what prompted the
explosive finish to what had been a pedestrian bout.
Clearly frustrated, Bielski went after Khaliq hard
in the fifth round, landing some of his best punches.
The champion appeared shaken, but fired back with
some accurate left hooks. One staggered Bielski as
he came in swinging, and a second put him onto his
back. Although he beat the count, referee Tommy Coyle
waved the fight over.
For Khaliq the fight is a stepping
stone, possibly to more lucrative fights in America.
In a post fight interview with Sky television, he
again said that he wanted to fight Shane Moseley.
That would clearly be a fight too far at the present
moment, but Khaliq may yet cause a stir at welterweight.
For Jacek Bielski the night was a crushing disappointment.
He never really got into the fight failing to land
with his usual accuracy. Maybe the pressure of the
occasion got to him. One thing is certain, Nottingham
did not see the real Jacek Bielski on Saturday night,
if it had, the result could have been very different.
Butowicz: bravery
not enough
On
the under card of the Bielski Khaliq title clash,
there was another world title at stake. Steve Roberts
the undefeated middleweight WBF champion was putting
his title on the line. His opponent was Andrzej Butowicz
who had been preparing to fight a six round bout on
the same night. Despite having only thirty six hours
notice, Butowicz jumped at the chance to make a name
for himself.
Sadly that was not to be for the brave
fighter from Katowice. Roberts had too much experience
and skill and the Polish fighter was stopped from
going out for the eighth round by his trainer. Both
fighters found it difficult to adapt, but Roberts
was landing the cleaner punches. Butowicz found his
opponent hard to hit cleanly, and had a point deducted
for holding. However he withstood an early knockdown
and a cut above his left eye to earn the respect of
the crowd and his opponent.
Butowicz was always going to find the step up difficult
at such short notice. His display showed that there
is plenty of potential to be tapped, in addition to
a great heart. With time he may yet trouble the top
level of boxing.
Bielski vs Khaliq - A Crossroads
Fight
By Stephen Noble
31.08
- The upcoming world title welterweight bout between
Jacek Bielski (photo: www.boxing.pl) and Jawaid Khaliq
is a true crossroads fight for both men. Whatever
the result it will have a massive impact not just
on their careers. Although the obvious importance
it has to their careers is in terms of box office
value, the fight has far wider repercussions than
that. Looking at the title-holder Khaliq, the fight
is important because of the impact he could have for
the sport in Britain. A 31-year-old cab driver from
Nottingham, who was born in Pakistan, he does not
come from a community traditionally associated with
the sport. As easily the most successful Asian professional
in the country, he could promote the sport to a group
who have traditionally stayed away from boxing. Quite
apart from the obvious financial benefits that this
would bring his promoters, it would open up the sport
to an entirely new market within the UK. He could
become the starting point for a new generation of
fighters.
For Jacek Bielski the fight offers
a real opportunity, not just to grab a world title,
but propel himself into the top rank of world fighters.
A win gives him credibility in the states, while surely
raising him to national prominence as a major sporting
star. Bielski has had an extraordinarily consistent
career since turning professional. He also had a long
and successful amateur career of 280 fights of which
he won the vast majority (around 250), and was a gold
medal winner at the 1993 European championships at
lightweight. Khaliq on the other hand has no amateur
record at all. Bielski had an extraordinary year in
2000 when he fought eight times in nine months on
his way to capturing the International Austrian and
IBF Central Asian Championship. He started 2001 just
as busily fighting a tune up bout in March before
taking the IBO Intercontinental Title in April. If
he can repeat this success in Nottingham he will be
the third fighter out of the Polish
Boxing Promotion Stable to win a world title after
Iwona Guzowska and Agnieszka Rylik.
When Khaliq won the IBO World title
against the American Willie Wise, much was made of
the fact that Wise had previously beaten the great
Julio Cesar Chavez. Without wishing to take anything
away from Wise that win merely confirmed that the
great one was well past his peak and that retirement
was not just likely but increasingly necessary if
permanent injury was to be avoided. It’s also
worth noting that all the best fighters Wise has fought
beat him. Khaliq still took Wise on in his own backyard
and beat him convincingly having Wise on the canvas
in the second round and surviving an ugly cut which
forced him to switch to south paw as well as broken
hand. It is this injury which will cause Khaliq’s
camp the most concern before the fight. He has suffered
hand injuries in his last three fights, and it he
must hope that he is not going to suffer similar problems
to the ones that have be-devilled Joe Calzaghe and
Roy Jones Jr. After winning his title Khaliq called
for Shane Mosely, so he clearly has plenty of confidence.
Sugar Shane would definitely be a step too far for
Khaliq at the moment, but if he can keep winning then
who knows. At 31 though, time is not on his side and
the loss of his title to Bielski would be a serious
set back to any ambitions of a shot at any unifying
bout.
With his existing injury problems,
it is unlikely that Khaliq will have the power to
knock Bielski out, equally Bielski with only 4 KO
victories out of 15 fights is clearly a boxer rather
than a puncher. In a boxing match, Bielski’s
classy amateur record and vast experience could just
give him the vital edge he needs. There is one further
factor that may well come into play, while Khaliq
is still working as a cab driver; Bielski is a full
time professional. Although Khaliq’s conditioning
is always exemplary when he enters the ring, it maybe
that Bielski will have the edge in stamina entering
the final rounds.
