In a clash for the vacant WBA regular heavyweight belt Manuel Charr (31-4, 17 KOs) won Alexander Ustinov (34-2, 25 KOs) by unanimous decision rather unexpectedly. The judges' notes were 115-111, 116-111, 115-112.
Charr started carefully the first half of the fight, and Ustinov got some good moments, but in the second half Charr raised the pace, went forward and Ustinov began to face obvious problems.
In the seventh round Charr managed to shake Ustinov with the left hook and land several more heavy blows, but the Russian withstood them. In the eighth round Ustinov hit the canvas after the left hook. In the same episode, he earned a deep cut under his right eye.
According to WBA requirements, Charr will have to face 44-year-old Fres Oquendo next, who has not fought for more than three years.
In December of this year Ustinov turns 41 and the future of his career looks vague.
