World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final set as Mairis Briedis and Yunier Dorticos post knockout victories

Deducted a point for an illegal elbow, rugged hometown hero Mairis Briedis captured the WBO cruiserweight title and a spot in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series by stopping Krzysztof Glowacki in round three at Riga Arena in Riga, Latvia Saturday night.

The end came 27 seconds into round three.

The opening round was all about respect. Glowacki, a southpaw, bobbed and weaved. Briedis popped his jab and looked to let his right go. Glowacki landed a good left to the chin. Briedis landed his right with 30 seconds left in the round.

All hell broke loose in round two. Briedis (26-1, 19 KOs) did well with right hands, and bodywork, but an elbow – fired in anger after Glowacki hit him behind the head, caused a reaction that Briedis later apologized for. The elbow landed perfectly, causing Glowacki to pause and fall to the canvas.

Yelled at to get up by referee Robert Byrd, Glowacki did, but he looked woozy. He met Briedis in the center of the ring but was soon felled by a right. The bell rang soon after but apparently referee Byrd didn’t hear it.

Both men kept punching with Glowacki hitting the canvas once again. Byrd finally realized the round was over.

In round three, Glowacki, likely aware that he wasn’t right, went for it. He wobbled Briedis, but a big right hurt him again. Briedis put the fight away by landing two uppercuts and a right hand that sent Glowacki crumbling to the canvas. Byrd waved the fight off.

The time was 27 seconds into round three.

“We worked really hard for three months,” said Briedis. "When I came into the arena, I felt like I was home. In the second round, he punched me in the head. The referee did nothing. I hit him with a little bit of a dirty punch. I feel a little bad about that.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The “KO Doctor” made a house visit at the Rigi Arena in Riga, Lativa. Yunier Dorticos broke down and knocked out Andrew Tabiti in Round 10 to secure a spot in the Cruiserweight World Boxing Super Series finals.

The time was 2:33 of round 10.

Both fighters were cautious in the opening round. They jabbed and sized each other up. Tabiti countered the stalking Dorticos in round two.

Dorticos, a world champion for the second time in his career, was more aggressive. His pressure was intense and his shots harder. Tabiti looked a little overwhelmed in round three as the bigger fighter attacked. He backed up and grabbed. Near the minute mark, he surprised Dorticos by letting his hands go. A hard right landed. Dorticos swung for the fences but missed by a mile.

In rounds four and five, Tabiti continued to use his legs and find spots to throw punches. Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs) jabbed and moved forward. Tabiti, slightly quicker, flashed a combination.

Dorticos,33, connected with a right. Tabiti slashed Dorticos with a lead right hand. Dorticos was loading up but not connecting. A check hook did land. Tabiti (17-1, 13 KOs) went to the body but ate a sweeping hook to the side of the head. Dorticos did some good work to the body.

Tabiti,29, tried to do more in round five. An accidental clash of heads caused a bad cut over the left eye of Dorticos. He shook the blood out of his lobe and fired punches. Referee Eddie Claudio took a point away from Tabiti for excessive holding. Dorticos fired a huge right and missed. Tabiti connected with a cuffing left hook and uppercut in round seven. A Dorticos shot slightly south of the border caused another delay in the fight.

When the action resumed, Dorticos fired more big shots, but Tabiti connected with a huge hook that seemed to stun Dorticos for a few seconds.

Rounds eight and nine was a combination of grappling and punching. Tabiti landed a couple of good right hands. Perhaps Tabiti was hoping that Dorticos would fade like he did when he was stopped by Murat Gassiev a little over a year ago.

Dorticos reminded hm that he wasn’t going anywhere by unloading to the midsection. Tabiti connected with an overhand right. The Dorticos jab was getting the job done. Tabiti was waiting as the fight slipped further from his grasp.

Tabiti’s corner told him that it was time to go, as in, punch more. Unfortunately, these words would come back to haunt him. He landed an uppercut, and did let his hands go, but Dorticos was busier. A right to the ribs landed. Dorticos stepped in and left fly with a perfect right that flattened Tabiti.

Tabiti didn’t move as Claudio counted over him.