Souleymane Cissokho becomes the WBC mandatory challenger after a tough fight against Egidijus Kavaliauskas.
Souleymane Cissokho (18-0, 9 knockouts) had to survive two knockdowns to earn a unanimous points victory over Egidijus Kavaliauskas (24-3-1, 19 knockouts) last night at the Centre de Conference de Sipopo in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Despite two knockdowns, the French welterweight prospect won with scores of 114-112, 115-111 and 116-110.
Cissokho was already in trouble in the second round. Kavaliauskas landed a heavy left hook towards the end of the round that sent his opponent to the floor. The Frenchman went down again right at the start of the fifth round. A short left uppercut from Kavaliauskas hit the Frenchman on the head and sent him out of the ring. Cissokho managed to get back to his feet, but was visibly dazed and somehow managed to save himself until the end of the round.
In the sixth round, Cissokho fought back, boxed wisely and took the round. Kavaliauskas started the seventh round aggressively, but Cissokho’s boxing skills and mobility increasingly frustrated the Lithuanian and allowed the Frenchman to take rounds in the second half of the fight. Kavaliauskas tried to apply pressure, but Cissokho skillfully used his footwork to avoid danger.
With this victory, Cissokho secures mandatory challenger status for Mario Barrios’ WBC welterweight world title.