The former WBC, WBO, IBF Cruiserweight Champion Mairis Briedis returns to the ring tomorrow in the final of the World Boxing Super Series in Munich. His opponent in the final is the reigning IBF Champion Yunier Dorticos, the big banger from Cuba. Despite the Cuban's impressive record, 24-1-0 with 22 KOs, Dorticos goes into the bout as the under dog according to the betting. The champ is quoted at 6-4 while Briedis is 10-17.
Mairis Briedis enters the fight for the first time since a sensational bout against Krzysztof Glowacki in June last year. In some ways, people are calling it the fight of the year, but not so much for the levels of skill, but for the fouls and final stoppage in round three as Briedis looked to defend his WBO title in the semi final of the WBBS when seeded number 1. The fight quickly turned into a fiasco. In the second round, Glowacki blatantly punched Briedis in the back of the head, in retaliation, the latter elbowed Glowacki in the face, causing him to lose a point. Glowacki hit the deck as though he's been bashed by a length of pipe. The fight resumed. The ref did not hear the bell at the end of the round and they punched on. After finally waking up, the ref stepped in to halt the second. In the third, Briedis was all over Glowacki and finished it in 40 seconds.
Then the politics began. After initially siding with the judges who awarded the fight to Briedis by KO, the WBO was forced to backtrack when it was revealed that both fighters and the ref were not licensed by the local commission. They ordered a replay which put Briedis in a spot, he either took the rematch which would allow him to defend his belt, or head to the Final of the WBBS where he'd face Yunier Dorticos for the IBF belt and the Ali Trophy. After choosing the WBSS road, the WBO stripped him.
Briedis goes into the bout as the number 1 ranked fighter in the world. Dorticos is rated number 4.
It's nice to see serious bouts returning to the boxing stage. I'm really looking forward to this one.