With two rounds to go, Marco Huck was closing in on boxing history. And then Krzysztof Glowacki slammed the record book shut.
Huck vs Glowacki, Tarver vs Cunningham highlights: August 14, 2015
The Polish southpaw dropped Huck in the 11th round before nearly sending him through the ropes with a stunning knockout at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, that denied Huck a record 14th 200-pound title defense.
Glowacki (25-0, 16 KOs) tasted the canvas himself in the sixth round, when Huck (38-3-1, 26 KOs) knocked him flat on his back with a left to the temple. Glowacki held his ground for the rest of the round, though, and had a strong showing in the seventh.
"When I was knocked down in the sixth round I didn't know where I was and it took me a whole round to regain myself,” Glowacki said. “I still cannot hear well. I was listening to my corner, though, and when I heard that there was only one minute left in the 11th round I knew I had to come on strong.”
Glowacki, 29, sent Huck to the canvas for the first time in his career in the 11th with a left hook-straight right hand combination, but the German was able to beat the count and resume.
Glowacki wasted little time in finishing Huck off, though, almost driving him out of the ring with an eight-punch combination before referee David Fields waved an end to the fight of the year candidate at the 2:39 mark.
Huck was leading on all three judges’ scorecards (96-93 twice, 95-94) at the time of the knockout. According to CompuBox, Glowacki connected on 147 of 436 total punches (34 percent), while Huck landed 127 of 395 (32 percent).
Huck, 30, had been a world champion since August 29, 2009, when he won a unanimous decision over Victor Emilio Ramirez in Germany. He shares the record of 13 title defenses in the 200-pound division, which was created in 1979 (originally at 190 pounds), with England’s Johnny Nelson.
Glowacki asserted himself over the first five rounds, firing his left over solid rights to the head, chest and body. He buckled Huck along the ropes with a right to the temple prior to the bell ending the first and hurt him twice in the third.
For complete coverage of Huck vs Glowacki, including photos, highlights and scorecards, visit our fight page.
Krzysztof Glowacki celebrates as referee David Fields stands over Marco Huck and waves an end to their fight Friday night in Newark, New Jersey. (Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions)
