Boxing Result: Cory Spinks – Roman Karmazin

Click for larger image © Tom Casino / Showtime Boxing

World Championship Bout Will Be Replayed First Time on SHO Extreme Monday, July 10, at 11 p.m. ET/PT

Cory Spinks used lateral speed and quick hands to narrowly outpoint game, hard-working Roman Karmazin Saturday on SHOWTIME. A slick and savvy Spinks won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior middleweight title with a majority 12-round decision by the scores of 115-113 twice and 114-114 on a special edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. The thrilling, action-packed fight, promoted by Don King Productions, was witnessed by more than 12,000 decidedly pro-Spinks fans at the Savvis Center.

Spinks, a former world welterweight champion, returned to the ring after a 17-month layoff following his loss to Zab Judah to earn “redemption,’ his mantra in the weeks leading up to the bout. Spinks improved to 35-3 and 11 KOs while Karmazin, dropping his first world title defense, exited the ring with a 34-2-1 record.

“People didn’t believe in me,” said a very emotional winner following the bout. “I knew I could do it. This is the toughest guy at 154 (pounds). He’s strong and he thinks in there. I take my hat off to him.”

In the early rounds, southpaw Spinks continuously circled to his right, putting him in position to land quick jabs and combinations to put Karmazin off balance.

As the match wore on, however, Spinks began to tire and the right-handed Russian rumbler, who now resides in Hollywood, Calif., increased the pace. The defending champion landed more accurate and more powerful punches in the seventh, eight and 10th rounds, but Spinks’ lead proved too much to overcome.

“In reality, he tricked me,” said Karmazin through an interpreter. “He was very tricky. I started to figure him out around the seventh round. Unfortunately, it was late and he started running.”

In a post fight interview with Jim Gray, Spinks talked of earning a big payday, “I want De La Hoya, Mayweather, whoever,” he said.

“I had it scored a draw,” said analyst Al Bernstein. “It was extremely close and a more exciting fight than I expected. And that is because Cory Spinks was willing to engage Karmazin from the early rounds.

“It was really two different fights, though. The first six rounds belonged to Spinks. The last four belonged to Karmazin. Two rounds in the middle were just too close to call and that was ultimately what decided this fight.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING’s Steve Albert and Al Bernstein called the action from ringside with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING celebrates 20 years of hard-hitting, explosive programming in 2006.  In March 1986, SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING was born when “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler defeated John “The Beast” Mugabi in a spectacular and unforgettable 11th-round knockout in Las Vegas. Since that time, the network has aired some of the most historic and significant events in the sport including both Holyfield-Tyson bouts.

Always at the forefront of boxing, SHOWTIME has set itself apart by telecasting “great fights, no rights” on the first Saturday of every month. SHOWTIME is the first network to regularly deliver live boxing in High Definition.  In addition, SHOWTIME continues to be a pioneer in sports television with a number of interactive features across multiple platforms making SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts the most enjoyable, immersive viewing experience for the boxing audience.

For information on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and “ShoBox: The New Generation” telecasts, including complete fighter bios and records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing.