Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov won the vacant IBF Super-Featherweight title in Abu-Dhabi Saturday night in the latest in a sequence of major fights to take place in the Middle East. A venue that provides convenient fight times for global audiences and inconvenient questions about money for promoters. For Zelfa Barrett, a fluid counter puncher from Manchester, the fight offered an opportunity to confirm his ability at World level. One he took, despite the disappointment of defeat in the 9th round.
Barrett’s success with left and rights to the body, stinging right uppercuts to head and body and a willingness to punch in combination despite his movement based strategy and determination to avoid short-range exchanges, brought a points lead heading toward the championship rounds.
Pressure fighters like Rakhimov don’t tend to worry about the minutiae of scorecards.
Nevertheless, it would be myopic to summarise this fight as; ‘pressure fighter finally gets to the boxer.‘ If Rakhimov and those around him, veteran figure Egis Klimas among them, review this performance so simplistically they will pay the price at some point soon. For those who may seek to unseat the new title holder in the future, Barrett’s performance revealed weakness in the unbeaten Southpaw from Tajikistan. Barrett’s movement was very good, exiting to left and right and leaving the ‘marching bull’ swinging at fresh air and being stung heavily on the counter.
The right hand uppercut which buckled Rakhimov sufficiently to draw an eight count from referee Mark Nelson in the third round was superbly delivered and expertly chosen. As the rounds passed, and Barrett’s movement declined, Rakhimov’s success grew but there still wasn’t certainty that he would ultimately catch up with the Englishman.
Combination punches downstairs punctuated the opening four rounds. As the middle rounds came, the jeopardy grew. In part because Barrett had built something to lose. The sense the gaps were closing was inescapable. But the major breakthrough for Rakhimov failed to materialise. A routine exchange on the ropes, Barrett trying to pivot off ended with a Rakhimov left hook which thudded into Barrett’s thigh. From that moment, the 29-year-old became distressed and unable to plant his back leg with confidence. Rakhimov sensed it, in the way predators always can, and piled on the pressure.
Unable to ‘run’ or throw with power, Barrett sank to the canvas and was then saved, having risen and thrown everything he had left with limited leverage due to an apparent injury. A simultaneous referee intervention and a corner towel from Uncle Pat Barrett in his corner bringing the end to the fight.
It was a cruel conclusion to an excellent effort from Barrett. Whether he can convert this into success in the future or whether this proves a zenith to a career contested mostly at domestic and Europe level remains to be seen.
Rakhimov must fight Joe Cordina next. The man stripped of this title due to an injury.
The fresh-faced Welshman will have taken much from Barrett’s performance.
BOXINGWRITER.CO.UK 
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