JACKIEWICZ DEFEATS RODRIGUEZ

Polish welterweight Rafał Jackiewicz (35-8-1, 18 KO) beat Delvin Rodriguez (24-4-2, 14 KO) in the final IBF eliminator which took place in Ełk, Poland. The stiff and exciting fight finished with an unanimous decision: 117:116, 114:112, 115:112.

In general, the first two rounds elapsed to Pole’s dictation. The bout became more equalized in the next two. However, it seemed to be certain that Jackiewicz is in full control of the fight when he wobbled the Dominican rival during the fifth one. Unexpectedly, Rodriguez managed to knock the Pole down owing to series of punches started with a powerful straight right. An experienced boxing referee, Eddie Cotton, kept calm and decided to carry on the battle. Polish welterweight luckily survived the sixth bout but succeeded to pull himself together and even slightly prevail in the seventh one. Futher part of the encounter turned out to be very equalized. Neither Jackiewicz nor Rodriguez was able to gain serious advantage. Consequently, it is no wonder that the final score may look quite controversially for Rodriguez fans.

Probably one on the accurate comments upon the encounter was the one enounced in Polsat’s TV studio by a respected boxing journalist – Janusz Pindera.

- It was the most dramatic professional boxing bout fought off in Poland I’ve ever seen. – said Pindera who decisively supported the score judges’ decision..

Thanks to the victory, Jackiewicz became the most significant contender to IBF welterweight title. “Polish Warrior” will probably challenge the winner of the fight between the present champion, Isaac Hlatshwayo (29-1-1, 10 KO) and Jan Zaveck (27-1-0, 15 KO) scheduled on 11th December in Johannesburg, South Africa.