Boxing: Lyakhovich has chance for elevation in status

Sergei Lyakhovich is one of four anonymous world heavyweight champions from a former Soviet Republic and tonight he has a chance to change his status.

Lyakhovich, who was born in Belarus but has lived in America for seven years, defends his World Boxing Organisation title for the first time against the veteran, Shannon Briggs, at Chase Field, Phoenix. A good win will elevate Lyakhovich above his three Soviet peers.

Briggs is best known for his dubious decision over George Foreman who was nearly 50 at the time, for the linear world heavyweight title back in 1997. However, four months on Briggs was stopped in five rounds by Lennox Lewis. Lyakhovichsurvived a brief knockdown when he beat Lamon Brewster in a good fight in April.

Last night in Barnsley Carl Johanneson retained his British super-featherweight title with a convincing sixth-round stoppage of local rival Femi Fehintola.

Johanneson, from Leeds, dominated from the first bell and was just too big, strong and experienced for Fehintola, of nearby Bradford, and after four knockdowns the fight was stopped.