Our knockout of the week today comes from Frenchman Bakary Samake, who sent Alejandro Ortiz into the realm of dreams in round five at the weekend.
French boxing star Bakary Samake once again made an exclamation mark on Saturday evening in Levallois-Perret. The 22-year-old impressively defeated Venezuelan Alejandro Ortiz by knockout in the fifth round to remain unbeaten in his 19th professional fight.
In front of a sold-out crowd at the Palais des Sports Marcel-Cerdan, Samake showed his class and dominance. From the start, the half-middleweight controlled the fight with precise straight punches and a clear overview of the ring. In the fifth round, he exploited a gap ice-cold and hit Ortiz with a heavy right hook that sent his opponent to the floor. Ortiz initially remained down for several minutes, but was later able to get up and congratulate the Frenchman fairly.
With this victory, Samake confirms his status as the new hope of French boxing. As the current number 1 in the WBC rankings in the middleweight division, he is on the verge of fighting for a world title. Although a duel with US star Sebastian Fundora is not yet being planned, Samaké has once again recommended himself internationally with this performance. A duel with Abass Baraou is also a possibility.
Text by Robin Josten