HELSINKI (AP) — Alexander Povetkin retained his WBA heavyweight title with an eighth-round knockout of American challenger Cedric Boswell at Hartwall Arena on Saturday.
It took Boswell 17 years as a professional to get a shot at a world title, but his dream of becoming the first American in five years to hold one of the major belts withered under a barrage of blows from the Russian.
Povetkin had 42-year-old Boswell on the ropes by the end of the seventh round with a succession of big punches.
Povetkin improved to 23-0 (16 KOs), while Boswell (35-2, 26 KOs) lost for the first time since 2003.
