WBO orders rematch between Mairis Briedis and Krzysztof Glowacki

Cruiserweight titleholder Mairis Briedis and Krzysztof Glowacki went head-to-head this past June in an unbelievably chaotic fight that took place during the WBSS semifinal round — my personal favorite fight of the year. The fight managed to end under somewhat controversial fashion (depending on whom you ask), with Briedis ultimately scoring a stoppage win, but the WBO has officially ordered the two men to run it back.

Things started off as you might expect between two top-tier cruiserweights battling for supremacy, but in the second round the fight quickly turned from your average affair to an all-out brawl, dirty tactics and all. Glowacki would throw a blatant rabbit punch in the back of Briedis’ head during a clinch — something Briedis would take serious exception to — and Briedis would retaliate by striking Glowacki with a clean elbow across the chin.

Glowacki would seemingly force the point deduction on Briedis for his infraction by hitting the deck from the elbow and rolling around the canvas. And this is where things got even crazier...

Once the action resumed, Briedis would crack Glowacki with a mean right hook that put Glowacki down. Glowacki would get up just about the time the bell rang to end the round but Glowacki and Briedis decided they weren’t done fighting just yet, and continued to stand and throw punches with the bell repeatedly ringing while the refereewas completely obvious that the round had ended. During an exchange well after the round was over, Briedis would again clip Glowacki and put him down. The referee officially ruled it a legitimate knockdown.

Glowacki’s corner was livid over the ruling, and there would be a period of mass confusion about what was actually happening since at that point the referee had basically no control over the fight. They ultimately decided to just continue the fight like nothing happened, but with Glowacki still hurt from the previous round, Briedis came out and finished him off.

In the aftermath of the fight it seemed that the general sentiment about the results of the fight were split. Some folks, like myself, believed that Glowacki kicked off the dirty business and just so happened to get the worst of it (too bad, so sad), while others were up in arms about Briedis’ blatant elbow and his knockdown after the bell.

Briedis would officially take the win, but Glowacki would file an appeal which eventually led to this immediate rematch ruling. The problem is that sort of throws a monkey wrench in the WBSS’ finals match that was already planned for Briedis and Yunier Dorticos, which was expected to happen around Dec. 14, though not officially announced.

If Briedis and Dorticos goes ahead as planned, it would appear that fight would only be for Dorticos’ world title instead of the unification match it was intended to be. And if Briedis were not to fight Glowacki immediately following his match with Dorticos, he would be stripped of the WBO title.

“Under the specific circumstances of this case, Glowacki should be given the opportunity of competing for the WBO (cruiserweight title) immediately,” the ruling said. “Making Glowacki wait 120 days after the competition of the WBSS tournament is an inadequate remedy, even though in the right direction. Among the factors considered that moves us to conclude that the remedy provided is inadequate is that the final of the WBSS tournament has not yet been scheduled.

“On the other hand, allowing Briedis to defend the (title) in the finals of the WBSS tournament constitutes a reward for having won the WBO title by violating the WBO regulations.”

In light of the WBO’s review, they’re giving Briedis 120-days from last Friday to rematch Glowacki, with the sanctioning body also suggesting that the WBSS delay their cruiserweight tournament final until after the rematch has taken place.