Timo Hoffmann vs Steffen Kretschmann

09/26/2012

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In the United Kingdom we don't often see fights fought outdoors, sure it does happen occasionally but it's a rarity because of the "good old British weather". Oddly however our German cousins often have fights held outdoors and they almost always go off with out a hitch, however there is always the odd one that goes wrong.

Back just a few weeks ago, on September 14th veteran Timo Hoffmann (40-7-2-1, 23) was facing German youngster Steffen Kretschmann (16-2-0-1, 15) in an outdoor venue when the unthinkable happened...it started to rain. Now what exactly can you do when it rains at an outdoor venue?

If it's a little bit of rain you can probably, just about, get away with fighting a round or two, however when the ring gets slippery and the fights start to fall the bout then becomes a danger. This is sadly what happened in the Hoffmann v Kretschmann as the rain, although not terrible, was starting to make the ring worryingly slippery and twice forcing Kretschmann to fall to the canvas.

The early round were fought fine, as well the rest of the undercard, however in round 5 you could faintly hear the rain falling in and around the ring (in the video you can hear a "pit-pat" sound from midway in the fifth round). By the end of round 5 you see rain drops over the corner (look carefully at Hoffman's corner between rounds) and by the time they came out for round 6 the rain had become heavier and louder.

Within 20 seconds of the restart Kretschmann had slipped in the middle of the ring as the canvas had become almost like and ice rink, he'd slip again just 32 seconds later before the referee, Andre Leloup (who was now beginning to look soaked himself) decided that enough was enough and called an early ending to proceedings.

As a result of the rain the bout was ended in round 6 with the unusual outcome of "6 round no contest due to rain", perhaps a lesson, if ever one was needed, that boxing is often fought indoors for a reason.

The video below comes thanks to WBCA WM
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Whilst Randall Bailey (43-7-0-1, 37) may now be the IBF Welterweight champion it wasn't that long ago that he was traveling around trying to get his chance to fight for a title. In 2010 Bailey fought twice with both fights taking place in Belgium (you know, that hotbed of pugilism...), in the first he defeated Jackson Osei Bonsu in what was supposed to be an IBF title eliminator. Sadly for Bailey the win over Bonsu didn't get him the expected IBF world title fight, instead he had to return to Belgium to face Moroccan Said Ouali. I have no idea why this fight in particular was in Belgium, but like the first bout it was sold as an IBF title Eliminator.

The bout started well for the hard hitting Bailey who dropped Ouali in the opening round but it was in the second round that controversy struck with a moment that could only be described as bizarre.

Early in the second round Bailey dropped Ouali for the second time in as many rounds. Oauli recovered to his feet hut kept looking towards the corner, little did he know that he would get a better look at the corner just a minute later. For some peculiar reason Bailey picked up his opponent around the knees then appeared to sit him on the corner. It looked like something from the WWE (or TNA if you're that way inclined) though it suddenly got strange as Ouali failed to get his balance and fell straight over the top rope landing on a table outside the ring.

This whole thing lead to the commentator exclaiming "oh wow wow" whilst Oauli's corner team jumped on the canvas and the referee ordered Bailey to a neutral corner. It didn't take long for the bout to be ended via No Contest and Ouali soon ended up ina  neck brace as a precaution. Sadly for Bailey this wasn't an over-the-top Battle R

Following the bout Ouali has gone 1-1, being stopped by Carson Jones in his most recent bout whilst Bailey, as we know claimed the IBF Welterweight title shocking Mike Jones with a peach of uppercut.

Video thanks to PrimeSportBelgium