Karmazin Stomps Ouma

LAS VEGAS, NV - Roman Karmazin knocked down champion Kassim Ouma twice in the third round on his way to a a unanimous 12-round decision to capture the IBF junior middleweight title.

Karmazin used his superior reach and a sharp right hand to keep Ouma off-balance for much of the fight. Although Ouma made a courageous rally in the middle rounds, Karmazin took control of the fight in the championship rounds.

It was the 34th victory in 36 fights for the Russian, who lost in his only previous world championship bout, to Spain's Javier Castillejo in June 2002. This never was close after his great start, and he easily lead on all three judges' scorecards: 118-108, 116-110 and 117-109.

"I told everyone that he was a good fighter, but not a superstar," Karmazin said of Ouma.

Ouma, formerly of Uganda, barely got off a punch in the first two rounds, and then he was almost knocked out in the third. Karmazin threw a wicked kidney punch early in the round just as Ouma turned sideways, enhancing the impact and sending the off-balance champion to the canvas.

A series of punches put Ouma near the ropes and Karmazin landed a follow up straight right sending Ouma crashing down on the ropes. Visibly in trouble, Karmazin failed to capitalize as Ouma went into a defensive shell and survived the round.

Karmazin may have tired a bit in the middle rounds as a result of the many power punches he threw earlier. But like a true champion, gutted it out and finished the last three rounds strong, leaving no doubt as to whom the winner was after 12 rounds. His fans at the Orleans Casino certainly knew who won as they chanted and sang songs throughout the contest.

"My prior fight with Keith Holmes was a much tougher fight," Karmazin said of a majority decision win in April.

"Ouma was a tough fighter, lots of stamina, but not as good as I was. If he wants a rematch, we will definitely talk."

Ouma, whose inspirational story includes being kidnapped by the National Resistance Army in Uganda when he was 7 and being forced to fight in the civil war, won the crown last October with a unanimous decision over Verno Phillips. His other defense was a unanimous decision against Kofi Jantuah in January.

Ouma who recently signed a promotional contract with Oscar de la Hoya's promotional group Golden Boy Promotions drops to 21-2-1.

Other notes: Oscar de la Hoya and Shane Mosley were seen sitting side by side in attendance.

Sonny Banerjee
Editor-in-chief

Information from other publications and wire services was used in the compilation of this report.