Simon Zachenhuber suffers his first defeat in London – and it’s a tough one. The German loses a close fight on points against short-time opponent Pawel August.
In the shadow of Tyson Fury’s comeback, Simon Zachenhuber experienced a bitter evening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The previously unbeaten super middleweight was surprisingly beaten on points by Pawel August – and suffered the first defeat of his career.
The fight started evenly. Zachenhuber relied on movement and jabbing, while August applied pressure early on and looked for the infight. As the fight progressed, his opponent, who had stepped in at short notice, became increasingly successful in pinning the German to the ropes and scoring points with physical actions. August was more active, particularly in the middle rounds, and dominated the action visually. Zachenhuber held his own, but lacked the necessary footwork to consistently get out of pressure situations.
It was only in the final phase that the man from Erdingen turned up the heat. The last two rounds went clearly to him – with precise strikes and significantly more speed. But the comeback came too late: the sole judge saw August 58:56 ahead. The circumstances of the defeat also caused further discussion. Originally, a ten-round fight against Troy Williamson was planned, but after his cancellation at short notice, the duel with August was only scheduled for six rounds – a clear disadvantage for Zachenhuber.
The bottom line is an avoidable defeat that raises questions. Instead of a possible career step on the big stage, there is now a bitter defeat to book. The matador must now hope for a rematch as soon as possible – under fair conditions.
Text by Robin Josten