by Pavel Yakovlev: (1/28/12) – Heavyweight contender Denis Boytsov stopped Darnell Wilson in four rounds in Hamburg, Germany today. A single right cross to the head dropped Wilson, who was counted out at 0:45. Boytsov (WBC #4, WBA #5, IBF #6, and WBO #4), advances his record to 30-0 (25 KO’s). Wilson, a former top contender as a cruiserweight who now fights often as a trial horse in Europe, falls to 24-14 (20 KO’s).
Both fighters fought tentatively for most of the match. Although Boytsov, 213 ¾ lbs., stalked Wilson constantly from the opening bell, most of his jabs fell short, and his frequent left hooks to the body were always smothered. Wilson, 226 lbs., spent most of the match slowly backing away, circling to the both sides, and missing with occasional overhand rights to the head and wide, sweeping left hooks to the body.
After a slow first round, which Wilson won by landing the only clean punches (two light left hooks to the head), Boytsov became more aggressive in the second. The Russian increased his punch output, standing straight up and pressing forward behind left jabs. Although Boytsov’s jabs generally fell short and he was unable to connect with his powerpunches, he did land two sharp left hooks near the end of the round. Wilson, for his part, seemed content to play defense and retreat.
In the third, Boytsov continued to dictate the pace of the bout, and managed to connect with a couple of solid jabs and a sharp right to the head. Wilson, still backing away, attempted little more than occasional big overhand rights that landed on Boytsov’s shoulders. In the fourth, Wilson attempted a forceful left jab to the body, but in doing so left himself open to the thudding right cross that ended the bout.
Despite the conclusiveness of Boytsov’s victory, this writer is unimpressed. The outcome of the bout seemed rooted more in Wilson’s apparent sluggishness than in Boytsov’s skill. On the whole, Wilson seemed strangely reticent in today’s match; he has fought far better in past fights. Although a technically solid fighter with decent power, Boytsov is not overly fast with his hands or feet, misses or falls short with many of his punches, stands straight up, and exhibits little upper-body movement. His power seems more clubbing than genuinely explosive. Boytsov’s prospects against the world’s best heavyweights remain an open question until he proves himself under fire against a legitimate top-10 contender or a tough top-25 world-rated foe.
In other action on the card:
Rakhim Chakhkiev UD 10 Alexander Kotlobay
100-89, 100-189, 99-89
Rafael Bejaran UD 12 Daniel Urbanski
Firat Arslan TKO 2 Orlando Antonio Farias
Denis Boytsov KO 4 Darnell Wilson
Ruslan Chagaev UD 8 Kertson Manswell
Ina Menzer UD 8 Milena Koleva
Marcel Meyerdiercks UD 8 Roberto Santos de Jesus
Vitali Tajbert UD 8 Jose Luis Graterol
Vladimir Tereshkin DQ 5 Evgeny Orlov