Murat Gassiev decisions Denis Lebedev to win IBF cruiserweight title
Murat Gassiev (24-0, 17 KOs) outpointed defending champion Denis Lebedev (29-3, 22 KOs) to win the IBF cruiserweight title on Saturday night at the MegaSport Arena in Moscow, Russia.
The Russian fighter won a 12-round split decision over countryman Lebedev, as the judges scored the bout 116-112, 116-111 for Gassiev, while the third had it 114-113 in favor of Lebedev.
Lebedev was busier, but Gassiev landed the harder shots, dropping Lebedev with a body shot in the fifth and marking him around both eyes.
"I prepared myself for a very tough fight. Denis is a champion and I knew what was waiting for me in the ring," said Gassiev. "Big respect to him. I'm very happy I won today."
Lebedev still holds the WBA title, which was not on the line in this fight.
Also on the card, Namibia's Julius Indongo (21-0, 11 KOs) dethroned previously unbeaten Eduard Troyanovsky (25-1, 22 KOs) in just 40 seconds.
Indongo flattened Russia's Troyanovsky with a crushing straight left to the chin in the first round.
With the win, Indongo captured the IBF light welterweight title.