Ilunga Makabu vs. Michal Cieslak - January 31, 2020

[Ruthless-RKO]

The World Boxing Council has confirmed the world championship in the cruiserweight division to take place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, later this month - on Friday, January 31 between number one contender Ilunga Makabu and number two contender Michal Cieslak.

Makabu who is promoted by Don King will be fighting Cieslak for the vacant championship in the first world title fight in DRC in 45 years.

“I am very happy that the fight is going on as ordered by the WBC, and that Don King Promotions has clarified a few misunderstandings with his local promotional partners Tarik Saadi and General Luyoyo," said WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

[DrDuke]

A quite intriguing bout. Cieslak looks good. Makabu has always been a great warrior. Probably at home he'll be given an edge in a case of a close full-distance fight. I think, it's exactly how it will go. However, I won't be surprised with someone scoring KO.

[margaret thatcher]

Good fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

On January 31st, a historic match in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Republic of the Congo, will take place. The vacant WBC cruiserweight championship will be contested between Congolese fighter Ilunga Makabu and Poland's Michal Cieslak. The title was vacant through all of 2019 after Oleksandr Usyk moved up to heavyweight. Makabu is 26-2 with 24 KOs and is no stranger to fighting Eastern Europeans. His last two fights were quality victories over Russians Dmitry Kudryashov and Aleksei Papin. Cieslak is 19-0 with 13 KOs and is no stranger to fighting Africans. His last two fights were quality victories over Olanrewaju Durodola and Youri Kayembre Kalenga. According to the WBC, Makabu vs. Cieslak will be the first world title fight in the Republic of Congo in 45 years.

[franio]

What a wild place, they shouldn't organize a fight there. Babilonski Cieślak promotor said that they are threatened, some fake police stolen his money in hotel.

[Ruthless-RKO]

What a wild place, they shouldn't organize a fight there. Babilonski Cieślak promotor said that they are threatened, some fake police stolen his money in hotel.

Really?

Now Hearn and Joshua are saying they want to make a ‘Rumble in the Jungle 2’ in Congo.

[CiroDiMarzio]

This fight is a big joke. The bout's on friday but contracts were signed up only few days ago. WBC had problems with judges because they didnt want to go to Congo, at last they captured three of them from Mexico. Im glad to hear that Michael Griffin going to be a referee at least.

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC stats

ILUNGA LUYOYO GENERAL PROMOTIONS / TARIK SAADI PRESENTS:

ILUNGU “Junior” MAKABU (Congo)

Ranked WBC No. 1 at Cruiserweight
Age: 32 / Date of birth: November 8, 1987
Residence: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa / Birthplace: Kananga, Democratic Republic of The Congo
Record: 26-2, 24 KOs / Total rounds: 122 / World championship fights: 0-1
Height: 6’0″ – 183cm / Reach: 74″ – 188cm / Stance: Left-handed


MICHAL CIESLAK (Poland)

Ranked WBC No. 2 at Cruiserweight
Age: 30 / Date of birth: April 19, 1989
Residence, birthplace: Radom, Poland
Record: 19-0, 13 KOs / Total rounds: 84
Height: 6’3″ – 190cm / Reach: 79″ – 201cm / Stance: Right-handed

WBC TOP 10 CRUISERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Evander Holyfield (US)
2. Zsolt Erdei (Hungary)
3. Juan Carlos Gomez (Cuba-Germany)
4. Krzystof Wlodarczyk (Poland)
5. Tony Bellew (GB)
6. Carlos De Leon (P. Rico)
7. Wayne Braithwaite (Guyana)
8. Grigory Drozd (Russia)
9. Anaclet Wamba (France)
10. Jean Marc Mormeck (France)

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION IN WBC HISTORY

75 cruiserweight world championship bouts have been held in the history of the WBC.
21 world champions have been recognized by the WBC, of whom only two have regained the title: Carlos de Leon (Puerto Rico) three times, Jean Marc Mormeck (France) one time.

MEMORABLE FIGHTS

Nov. 10, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk TKO8 Tony Bellew – Manchester, England
July 21, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk W12 Murat Gassiev – Moscow, Russia
Jan. 27, 2018 Oleksandr Usyk W12 Mairis Briedis – Riga, Latvia
Apr. 1, 2017 Mairis Briedis W12 Marco Huck – Westfalenhalle, Germany
May 29, 2016 Tony Bellew TKO3 Ilunga Makabu – Liverpool, England
Sep. 27, 2014 Grigory Drozd W12 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – Moscow, Russia
May 15, 2010 Krzysztof Wlodarczyk TKO8 Giacobbe Fragomeni – Lodz, Poland
Oct. 24, 2008 Giacobbe Fragomeni TW8 Rudolf Kraj – Milan, Italy
Mar. 8, 2008 David Haye TKO2 Enzo Maccarinelli – London, England
Jan. 7, 2006 O’Neil Bell KO10 Jean Marc Mormeck – New York, New York
Apr. 2, 2005 Jean Marc Mormeck W12 Wayne Braithwaite – Worcester, Massachusetts
Oct. 11, 2002 Wayne Braithwaite TKO10 Vincenzo Cantatore – Lombardia, Italy
Feb. 21, 1998 Juan Carlos Gomez W12 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez – Buenos Aires, Argentina
July 25, 1995 Marcelo Fabian Dominguez TKO9 Akim Tafir – Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
July 20, 1991 Anaclet Wamba TKO11 Massimiliano Duran – Palermo, Sicily
July 27, 1990 Massimiliano Duran WDQ11 Carlos DeLeon – Capo d’Orlando, Sicily
May 17, 1989 Carlos DeLeon TKO9 Sammy Reeson – London, England
Apr. 9, 1988 Evander Holyfield TKO8 Carlos DeLeon – Las Vegas, Nevada
Feb. 24, 1982 Carlos DeLeon TKO8 Marvin Camel – Atlantic City, New Jersey
Mar. 31, 1980 Marvin Camel W15 Mate Parlov – Las Vegas, Nevada
Dec. 8, 1979 Marvin Camel D15 Mate Parlov – Split, Croatia

WBC Statistics by Luis Medina.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Weights and Officials

Ilunga Makabu 197.5 vs. Michał Cieslak 199.7
(WBC cruiserweight title)

Referee: Michael Griffin (Canada)
Judges: Omar Mintun, Carlos Flores, Humberto Olivares (all Mexico)
WBC Supervisor: Houicine Houichi

Venue: Temporary arena in Kinshasa, Congo

[Ruthless-RKO]

Guess there is no way of watching this..

[TheBeast]

Yes its on polsat ppv or rtnc congo

[margaret thatcher]

Cieslak paid in DRC cash, and then the cash stolen. Good ol Congo boxing

[Ruthless-RKO]

Cieslak paid in DRC cash, and then the cash stolen. Good ol Congo boxing

Really?

[franio]

3th round only 2 minutes, is that true?

[margaret thatcher]

Going into the 9th, been a gruelling back and forth fight. Makabu seems to have a bit more energy right now.

[margaret thatcher]

Both guys tired but still throwing hard at each other. When one has a good burst the other responds. Makabu has been edging these later rounds as he has a bit more snap in his shots and energy, and his shots are tighter

[margaret thatcher]

It goes the full 12, both guys fought their arses off, well done bois

[margaret thatcher]

Makabu was knocked down earlier btw, but he should win I think. He outlasted Cieslak

[margaret thatcher]

It is taking forever to get the decision

[franio]

Still waiting for result... omg

[Ruthless-RKO]

How are you guys watching?

I hear the crowd is amazing? Is that true?

[margaret thatcher]

Makabu wins by decision!

F@cking hell, I've never seen such a long wait to annoucne a result


That said, very glad I caught this, really hard fought stuff with both going down but then coming back into it, and both guys fighting with everything they had. Both guys gonna be hurting tommorrow. At least Mak has a belt for his pains sake

[DrDuke]

Cieslak started good, he was composed and rational, but probably him being knocked down spoiled a lot for him, despite the fact he had some success even afterwards. Cieslak did a huge mistake with trying to stop fighting and to turn his back after the low blow by Makabu in the 4th round. The ref ignored the blow and Makabu dropped opened Cieslak. Protect yourself for all time, it's a basic rule. In the second half of the fight it was hard to give any round for Cieslak, he fought back, but Makabu was always pressuring and scoring more. Makabu's experience was a big factor in this fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Full fight.