Boxing: Zavec Wins WBF Super Welterweight World Champion Title

Maribor, 12 April - Slovenia's best professional boxer Dejan Zavec won the WBF super welterweight world champion title in Maribor on Saturday evening by defeating the defending champion, Belgian Sasha Yengoyan. It was virtually a bloody battle in twelve rounds that saw the 39-year-old win in an unanimous decision.

Maribor
Slovenian boxer Dejan Zavec wins the WBF super welterweight world champion title by defeating Belgian Sasha Yengoyan
Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA

Fighting in front of 4,500 home fans in Tabor Arena, Zavec (35 wins/19 KO, 3 losses), who also holds the WBO European Champion belt, had to battle it out with the tough Armenian-born Yengoyan (31 wins/21 KO, 2 losses, 1 draw) until the final gong.

The competitors butted heads in the first round, with Zavec earning a gash above his right eye. The blood kept pouring down his face for most of the match, but this did not stop the Slovenian veteran from earning a win that opened the door to the world elite.

The 30-year-old Yengoyan, who ahead of the match ranked 24 spots higher than Zavec, kept attacking the Slovenian and even attempted some dirty moves to earn an edge, but all three judges eventually decided in favour of Zavec.

It was huge win for Zavec, who had announced before the match that he would retire in case of a defeat. It opened opportunities for another major match in the near future as the Ptuj native is wrapping up his successful career.

"Thank you very much, today your hearts were with me and mine was with you, than you!" Zavec told fans after the match, also congratulating Yengoyan for giving a good fight. "He is much younger and he will have his opportunities. Today, luck was on my side."

The spectacle in the sold-out Tabor Arena was attended among others by the head of the Slovenian Olympic Committee Bogdan Gabrovec, Olympic rowing champion Iztok Čop, Maribor Mayor Andrej Fištravec and many celebrities.

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© STA, 2015