Boxing: KUC Box-Promotion & Agon Boxing, Falkensee, 07.10.2023 William Scull (CUB) – Cristian Fabian Rios (ARG) © Torsten Helmke
William Scull won a close but unanimous decision on Saturday, defeating Vladimir Shishkin at Stadthalle in Brandenburg, Germany to win the vacant IBF super middleweight title.
The scores were 116-113, 116-112 and 115-113, all for Scull (23-0, 9 knockouts), a Cuban in Germany who is ranked as the no. 1 rated IBF contender at 168 pounds. Shishkin (16-1, 10 KOs) of Stepnoe, Russia loses for the first time in his eight-year professional career.
Despite a title belt on the line, the fight was devoid of the drama typically associated with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the pound-for-pound champion who previously held the belt before vacating the title.
After a measured pace through the first eleven rounds, the finish held true in the final round as left hooks from Shishkin began to penetrate and hurt Scull, causing him to choke and hold for the remainder of the round. .
Shishkin ranked as no. 6 by The Ring at 168 pounds, while Scull will likely enter the ratings after being unrated heading into the fight.
owe, 32, now lives in Berlin, near where the battle took place.
In the co-fight, Dusan Veletic (9-1-1, 5 KOs) boxed and punched his way to a unanimous decision victory over Tomas Salek (22-6, 13 KOs) by scores of 98-92, 98-92. and 97-93. The fight was a slow heavyweight fight, with Veletic from Loznica, Serbia by way of Bosnia and Herzegovina taking the opportunities to land when his Czech opponent threw his slower, wing punches.
