By Kevin Chittenden: Undefeated German based heavyweight contender Francesco Pianeta (27-1-1, 14 KO’s) defeated soon to be 44-year-old South African Frans Botha (48-8-3, 29 KO’s) by a 10 round unanimous decision on Friday night in a fight that almost more like a sparring match than an actual fight at the RWE Rhein-Ruhr Sporthalle, Muelheim, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The 6’5″, light hitting Pianeta swept the judges’ score cards winning by the scores of 100-96, 99-92 and 97-93.
Botha was dominated in the fight but still was able to land the harder shots and the cleaner landing punches. Pianeta just does not have any power to speak and the best he could do was land weak left-right combinations that did little to slow down Botha’s forward moving progress. Botha fought well in the 4th and 10th rounds, out-working Pianeta.
Botha did a lot of jabbing and would often fight with his back against the ropes to catch breathers. It was an ugly fight to watch.