MUNICH, 1 September 2003 — Wladimir Klitschko needed just 109 seconds Saturday night to defeat Argentine challenger Fabio Moli, who was knocked out by the Ukrainian’s first serious punch in Munich.
A hard left from the 27-year-old former WBO heavyweight champion caught Moli on the side of the head, sending the 34-year-old tumbling to his knees and unable to beat the count.
The first-round victory gave German-based Klitschko the WBA intercontinental belt and went some way to restoring his reputation since he suffered a shocking knockout to the South African Corrie Sanders in March.
There were jeers for Moli, who looked out of shape and did nothing to show he was a serious challenger in his first-ever bout outside of South America.
Klitschko told spectators that they would see longer fights if he was given a rematch with Sanders and if older brother Vitali, who was beaten by Lennox Lewis in June, fought Lewis again.
Coach Fritz Sdunek said that Klitschko did not have to apologize for the swift win.
“When Wladimir hits hard with his left it would affect any heavyweight in the world,” he said.“I can’t understand people being unhappy. Mike Tyson used to knock people out in the first round, and nobody complained.”
Echols Says He’ll Finish
Off Mundine in Five
American Antwun Echols yesterday predicted he would finish off Australian challenger Anthony Mundine within five rounds of their World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title bout here this week.
Echols said he had seen nothing in videotapes of Mundine’s fights to worry him ahead of their re-scheduled fight on Wednesday. “What I have seen is amateur, his style is amateur,” Echols told Fox Sports.
“He is fighting people who’ve been out for years, fighting people out of his weight ... Anthony hasn’t faced anyone of my caliber.”
Echols had taken more time to check out his Australian opponent since the bout was deferred four weeks from the original date of Aug. 6 after Mundine withdrew two days beforehand because of a viral infection.
Echols said Mundine’s loss to German champion Sven Ottke in an IBF title fight showed his chin was suspect and he promised to test it out early.
“The knock-out punch wasn’t great, my mother could have seen that (coming) ... I’m going to test that from round one,” he said.
“He won’t last, it won’t go more than round five.”
