In what proved to be both one of the biggest upsets of the year, as well as one of 2015’s best action fights, Krysztof Glowacki scored a stunning knockout over defending WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Germany’s Huck had held the title for six years and was seen as the likely winner of this match but, as the old saying goes, upsets make the sport, and it was the undefeated contender from Walcz, Poland who surprised everyone with his power, aggressive attack, and resilience. Though the bigger shock may have been the sheer intensity of the duel as well as its spectacular finish.
The battle started fast with the challenger bringing the fight to Huck in the opening round with a hard body jab that set up big shots upstairs, including a right hook which stunned the champion. The hectic pace continued through the next few rounds with Glowacki’s greater activity and aggressiveness appearing to give him the advantage. The determined Pole had seized the initiative by setting a wicked pace and adhering to Sam Langford’s old maxim, “kill the body and the head will die.” At every opportunity Glowacki dug in and leveled heavy shots to Huck’s ribs and kidneys.
However, the momentum of the fight appeared to change in a radical way when the champion landed a deep dish beauty of a left hook at the start of round six that put Glowacki flat on his back. For a moment it looked like the bout had been decided as the challenger, who had never before tasted the canvas, appeared finished, before he somehow managed to struggle to his feet in the nick of time. Huck moved in for the finish but Glowacki recovered and came back to land some heavy shots of his own before round’s end.
Amazingly, it was Glowacki, not Huck, who rebounded from the sixth and came on strong in round seven, but then Huck took round eight with an inspired rally in the final minute. Round nine was close but a clash of heads opened a cut above Glowacki’s right eye and once again the tide seemed to have turned as Huck out-worked the challenger in round ten. It was Huck now throwing effective combinations and appearing to seize control of the match, but the biggest shock of all was awaiting everyone as the bell rang to start round eleven.
Forcing the fight and backing Huck up, Glowacki connected flush with a huge hook followed by a right jab that put the champion down hard. The “Käpt’n” beat the count but Glowacki saw his chance and pounced like a starving lion on a wounded wildebeest, letting his hands go and pounding Huck with shot after shot, the referee jumping in to stop the massacre just as the champion collapsed and almost fell through the ropes.
It was a spectacular finish to a rousing, action-packed battle which also announced the arrival of an exciting top talent in the cruiserweight division. The victory not only gave Glowacki a world title and a shiny new belt, but also put him in position for two big paydays in 2016 as the Polish warrior next faced Steve Cunningham and then Oleksandr Usyk. The tough “Glowka” would defeat Cunningham on points, but the skills of the brilliant Ukrainian proved too much as Usyk took the Pole’s hard-won world title by lopsided decision. — Robert Portis
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