08.12.06 – By Tim Neilson: Oleg Maskaev (33-5, 26 KO’s) defends his WBC heavyweight title against Peter Okhello (18-4, 16 KO’s), a big 6’4″ heavyweight from Uganda, on Sunday at the Olympiysky Sports Arena, in Moscow, Russia. Maskaev, 37, won the WBC heavyweight title in August, 2006, knocking out in a 12th round shocking upset of American Hasim Rahman in Las Vegas. Like in their previous bout together, Maskaev was expected to lose to Rahman. However, Maskaev matched up well with Rahman in the power department, making the fight a toss up until the 12th round, when Maskaev finally took Rahman out with an accumulation of punches..
In the end, it was classic Maskaev, almost as if he were seven years younger, knocking out Rahman for the first time. With the unbelievable victory over Rahman, it was an epic fight, making Maskaev into a modern Cinderella man, and one with just about endless opportunities for big fights.
As of now, former middleweight champion, Bernard Hopkins, and Wladimir Klitschko, the IBF heavyweight champion, are the two leading prospects for future fights, if Oleg can get by Okhello. Understandably, Maskaev is well aware of the risks involved with fighting someone like Okhello, a fighter that is not nearly in the same class as Maskaev. If for some chance, Maskaev is overlooking Okhello, there’s a real possibility of an upset, which would destroy Maskaev’s chance for big money fight with either Klitschko or Hopkins.
However, Maskaev wanted to take the fight, a non-mandatory bout, against the 10th ranked WBC fighter, so that he could fight in his home country, Russia.
Okhello’s, 34, prospects of winning aren’t even close to being good in this bout. For one thing, he has done poorly on the few occasions that he has stepped it up in class, losing by 3rd round knockout to Kali Meehan, in 1999, and a 12-round decision to Sinan Samil Sam, in 2005. If there’s any good that I can see, it’s that Okhello was able to win his last bout, a 12-round decision over 40-year old Bob Mirovic, in April, 2006. Against Samil Sam, Ohkello looked good in the early rounds, when Sam stood directly in front of him. However, in the 2nd half of the fight, Ohkello faded badly and was punished by the German-based Turkish fighter.
Besides that, Okhello has good appearance and has an impressive physique, but that’s about it. Too bad he doesn’t get points for having a better body, because he has little much beyond that to offer up against Maskaev. If, however, Maskaev stands in front of Okhello all night, perhaps the Ugandan fighter might get lucky and land a shot that can take out Maskaev, as other fighters have before.
To be sure, Maskaev is there to be hit, there’s no mistake about it. However, historically it’s taken big punchers, such as David Tua, Oliver McCall, Lance Whitaker, Kirk Johnson and Corey Sanders to take him out. In fact, something that is often overlooked, is that Maskaev has never lost a fight by decision, which says a lot about his boxing ability, while at the same time, pointing to his one weakness – his chin.
Under the best circumstances, Ohkello’s going to need almost a miracle to win this bout, and for that to happen, it’s going to require for Maskaev to get sloppy in the early rounds of the fight, the time that Okhello is most dangerous. Once the fight goes past the midway point, Okhello’s power (and chances for victory), drop off dramatically.
However, I don’t expect Okhello to make it that far, largely due to Maskaev’s massive power. In addition, Maskaev fights very well with the crowd behind him, and with this fight being held on Russia, you can expect a lot of crowd applause, encouraging every punch Maskaev throws. In the end, I see Maskaev being much too good for Okhello, who will be systemically destroyed.