Ruslan Chagaev kept his tentative claim to the WBA heavyweight title with a technical decision over Carl Davis Drummond on Saturday night.
Uzbek bags technical win after serious cut
Ruslan Chagaev kept his tentative claim to the WBA heavyweight title with a technical decision over Carl Davis Drummond on Saturday night.
The Uzbek, who is the WBA's champion 'in recess', was having his first fight in more than a year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury while preparing to take on Nikolay Valuev.
But it was an unsatisfactory comeback for the 30-year-old, who suffered a bad cut above the left eye in the third round due to an accidental clash of heads, and the ringside doctor waved the bout off in the sixth.
However, with Chagaev ahead on all three cards he took the 25th victory of his career, and remained on course for a re-match with Valuev, who is the offical holder of the WBA belt following Chagaev's hiatus.
Valuev retained the title with a controversial points victory over Evander Holyfield in December, although the result is under investigation, meaning the veteran American could be entitled to another shot at Valuev.
Chagaev remains the only man to defeat the 7ft Russian, sneaking a majority verdict when the pair fought for the WBA title in 2007, and is the official mandatory challenger as he bids to regain the strap he believes is rightfully his.
