Saturday night, March 14th, in front of a star packed overflowing, sold out crowd, Oleg Maskaev scored a stunning 1st round stoppage of Rich Boruff, with a thunderous right hand. This was the first time in several years that Maskaev was 100% healthy and his awesome power is back.
The presentation, at the Ice Palace in Saransk Mordovia, was a spectacular extravaganza, filled with local culture and customs, mesmerizing special effects, phenomenal entertainment with beautiful costumed dancers, a glamorous fashion show and so much more. It was a thrilling captivating evening, culminated by Maskaev’s TKO.
After the fight hundreds of fans rushed into=2 0the ring just to touch Maskaev, get an autograph, or take a picture with him. The Mordovian Head of State, Nikolay Ivanovich Merkushkin, awarded Oleg with a special belt as well as the key to the city. Maskaev was disappointed when he learned that the key opened all the doors to the city except the door to the bank. Dennis Rappaport called the evening a stunning success and said that the sport of boxing needs more events like this, filled with high energy, action, glamour, glitz, and excitement. It was truly an unforgetable event, a tribute to the huge popularity of the beloved Russian fighter…the biggest attraction in Russian history who continued his streak of selling out events. His last bout, in September ’08, was witnessed by 150,000 fans in the first bout ever held on Red Square.
In a special poem, written just for Vitali Klitschko, Oleg wrote…
‘Don’t act like a child, doing trick or treat
Just comply with the WBC order, for us to meet
I stopped you in the first round, when we last fought,
Now to avoid me, you want to go to court
Stop acting like a chicken, that is full of fright
Act like a man, and let’s settle it in a fight.’
