Maskaev Returns with Easy Win
by Stephen Tobey (February 16, 2003)
 Send this page to friend Give us your feedback
LLEWISTON, Maine, Feb. 15 — One thing could be said about Errol Sadikovski: He took more punches than Sonny Liston took when he fought in Lewiston.Oleg Maskaev stopped Sadikovski in the first round in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout Saturday at the Multi Purpose Center.
Fighting for the first time in 11 months, Maskaev dropped Sadikovski three times before referee Mark Landry stopped the fight one minute and 58 seconds after it began.
None of the punches that put Sadikovski on the canvas appeared to land with a great deal of force. The first two knockdowns came on left hooks. The first one landed flush on the jaw. The second one grazed Sadikovski, causing him to take a knee. Maskaev landed an overhand right for the final knockdown. After the fight, Sadikovski's handlers claimed their fighter sustained a broken jaw.
"I thought he'd give me some good rounds," said Maskaev, now 23-5 with 18 knockouts. "We did some good work at home, sparring. I felt ready for this guy and honestly I didn't get a chance to work on what I was doing in the gym."
This was Maskaev's first fight with his new manager, Dennis Rappaport and trainer Victor Valle, Jr.
"We didn't get a chance to see the old Oleg in there tonight, but we'll see it," said Rappaport. "He's physically the strongest heavyweight out there. His destiny is to be the heavyweight champion of the world. He was the most mis-managed heavyweight before and now he has the right people behind him."
The five-bout card, which was held in an elementary school gym across the street from the arena where the second Muhammad Ali/Liston fight took place, was the first time pro boxing had taken place in Maine since November of 1999.
The fight was Maskaev's first since March 17, 2002, when he was stopped in the eighth round by Corey Sanders in Oroville, Calif.
"This is the best way to get back," said Maskaev. "As long as there is a ring, I have no problem with where I'm fighting."
Sadikovski, a native of Macedonia now living in the Bronx, NY, had now lost eight in a row, including five by knockout or TKO. He dropped to 4-11 with four KOs.
Lewiston's Don Labbe stopped Portland's John Webster with one second left in the third round of a schedule four-round bout between Maine middleweights.
Labbe dropped Webster with a left hook in the final 20 seconds of the third, Webster beat the count and the bell sounded to end the round, but Landry decided that Webster was unable to continue. Labbe improved to 3-2 (1 KO) and Webster, in his first fight since March of 1997, dropped to 6-5-2.
Keith Sonley of Warrenburg, NY won a six-round unanimous decision over Francisco Arroche of Queens, NY in a middleweight bout. Sonley (4-7-4) dropped Arroche(5-18) in the sixth round with a right hand. The scores were 60-53 (twice) and 60-54.
Russell Jordan of Rochester, NY out-pointed Dennis Burley of Scranton, Pa in a four-round welterweight bout. The scores were 40-35 (twice) and 40-36. Jordan dropped Burley with a straight left just before the end of the final round. Burley held on for the last few seconds of the fight and dropped to 11-36-1. Jordan is now 3-1 with two K Os.
In a battle of debuting super featherweights, Rodney Jones of Rochester, NY stopped Detroit's Dave Howell in the first round of a scheduled four.
For Questions or Comments
E-mail Stephen Tobey
|
