Povetkin stops Wawrzyk, Jones dethrones Lebedev

WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (26-0) defeated previously undefeated Andrzej Wawrzyk (27-1) with ease, knocking the challenger down three times before gaining a 3rd round stoppage victory on Friday night at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow.

The Russian dropped Wawrzyk once in the 2nd round from a hard right hand, and then twice in the 3rd round. After the second knockdown in the 3rd, refferee Russell Mora halted the fight at 2:28 with the Polish challenger still down from a left hand to the head.

Now Povetkin looks set to meet Wladimir Klitschko in a unification fight on October 5 in Moscow.

Also on the card, 41-year-old Guillermo Jones (39-3-2) of Panama, used his huge height, reach and weight advantage to stop WBA cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (25-2) of Russia, in the 11th round.

By the 6th round Lebedev's left eye was completely closed but he showed a lot of heart and was getting the better of Jones with power shots. However, Jones took over the fight by the 9th and wore down Lebedev before dropping him with a left hand in the 11th. The fight was then halted at 1:54 of the round by the referee.