Granit Shala is on course for a long time, but in round ten Petar Milas strikes mercilessly and decides the fight prematurely.
The co-main event in the sold-out Rudolf Weber Arena delivered what it promised – and ended with a bitter twist. In the IBF International heavyweight title fight, Petar Milas beat Granit Shala early in the tenth round and was crowned the new title holder.
The fight was intense and balanced right from the start. Shala was tactically disciplined, worked a lot with the jab and used targeted counter-attacks, while Milas repeatedly looked for his dreaded punching power. Both boxers had their moments in the first few rounds without being able to gain a decisive advantage.
In the middle part of the match, Shala increasingly managed to control the pace. Although Milas repeatedly got through with individual hard strikes, he repeatedly lacked consistency in his follow-up. After nine rounds, there was much to suggest that Shala had a narrow lead on the scorecards.
But then came the tenth round – and it turned everything on its head. Milas landed a powerful right hand that sent Shala crashing to the floor. The German got up again, but looked visibly exhausted. Milas immediately followed up, hitting hard again several times and finally forcing the referee to stop the fight after Shala fell a second time.
The late TKO causes discussion, especially about the long run on. For Milas, however, it is a resounding success and an important step in the international rankings. Shala, on the other hand, is left with the realization that he delivered a strong fight – which was brutally decided in the end.
Text by Robin Josten