Fight:1797397
Artur Szpilka 233 lbs beat Mike Mollo 226 lbs by TKO at 1:41 in round 5 of 10
- Date: 2013-08-16
- Location: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Referee: Gerald Scott
- Judge: Mauro Di Fiore
- Judge: Patrick Morley
- Judge: Alan Rosin
Artur Szpilka versus Mike Mollo II Chicago Heavyweight Bout
In this ESPN2 Friday Night Fights rematch, Szpilka was winning rounds behind his jab on points, when Mollo landed a desperation power left hook and dropped him in the third. Szpilka beat the count, later stopping Mollo in the fifth round with a short straight power left which put Mollo on his back with a bloody nose, leading to the stoppage. Szpilka was landing 57% of his power shots, way more than Mollo, who ultimately paid a price for getting hit too much. Szpilka used his height and reach advantage well, moving along the edge of the ring and baiting the come forward Mollo in, who could not adapt his style and strategy to the approach. Mollo looked rusty in both Szpilka bouts, as he suffered from inactivity for years largely due to contractual problems with Boxing 360, from whom he could not get out of his contract.
- The Mollo camp succeeded in getting the Illinois Athletic Commission to switch referees from Celestino Ruiz (who refereed the first, controversial Szpilka versus Mollo bout [1] ) to Gerald Scott, but the outcome did not change. Szpilka again went down, and came back to finish Mollo.
- Szpilka stops Mollo in round five, highlights on YouTube [2]
- Szpilka came in with significant wins over Brian Minto and Taras Bidenko in his previous two bouts. Mollo had not fought in three years before his two 2013 bouts with Szpilka in Chicago, and won only one bout in five years. Szpilka won all 16 of his pro bouts in the first five years of his career. Mollo's only significant career win was over Kevin McBride was in 2006, seven years earlier. His career-and activity-went downhill after he signed with Boxing 360 to promote him. Fights were offered and taken, but Mollo refused them at some point, leading to his inactivity.
- Mollo had Szpilka down twice in the first bout, and again in the second bout. It can be said Mollo had fair opportunities to win, but failed to capitalize when he had the advantage three times. Mollo beat the count in the rematch, but was done.
- Fightnews.com account of the fight card by Sam Geraci at ringside [3]