Russian Boxer Beats Frenchman Before Euphoric Crimean Crowd

Aug. 10, 2014

Russian middleweight boxer Dmitry Chudinov successfully defended his World Boxing Association interim title Saturday, stopping Mehdi Bouadla in three rounds.

In front of a strongly nationalist crowd at a motorbike festival in the Russian-speaking Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in March, Chudinov knocked down his French opponent in every round before the referee stopped the bout.

Chudinov stays unbeaten with 14 wins and two draws, while Bouadla drops to a 30-6 career record.

The fight was part of a festival in Sevastopol organized by the Night Wolves, a Russian biker group with whom Russian President Vladimir Putin has ridden in the past.

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