Tony Yoka suffered a disastrous defeat to Carlos Takam, after the veteran heavyweight manhandled the Olympic star over 10 rounds at Zenith de Paris on Saturday.
Takam only won by a split decision, a far closer score than the action in the ring had suggested.
But this, a second consecutive defeat, was a heavy blow to the Frenchman’s career.
Yoka was a 2016 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medallist and the great star of the sport in France. Selling out the 7,000-seat Zenith de Paris was an indication of his drawing power.
But after suffering a punishing loss in his last fight to Martin Bakole, Yoka was fighting to get his career back on track
Yoka plied his body with jabs and drilled in a right.
Yet Cameroon-born Frenchman Takam fought at a high pace throughout and tested Yoka’s trunk with a double right hook.
A powerful right to the head shook Yoka up and he had to retreat. Takam took up the invitation and continued his attack, bounding after his rival.
He punched in combination and finished the salvo with a right hook to the head.
Sweeping the same punch over he caught Yoka again and heaped further pressure on the star.
Yoka showed flashes of tidy work, catching Takam with a left hook to the head and a shot to the body.
But he wasn’t hitting hard enough to keep his determined opponent off him.
To compound his problems, he finished the fifth round cut from a head clash.
Yoka ducked a left hook deftly and moved off. But Takam poured in a flurry of hooks. He clubbed a right to the head again, giving Yoka yet another torrid round in the sixth.
However, Yoka unearthed a good cross in the next round, landing it with venom. He targeted the body again with jabs, thrown singly but in an effort to slow his opponent down.
Yoka finished the fight on his feet, but boos rang out when he raised his hand.
One judge extraordinarily scored the fight 96-94 to Yoka, but the other two both had it 96-94 the other way.
Takam won a split decision, one that leaves Yoka’s career in a perilous position.
Yoka finished the fight on his feet, but boos rang out when he raised his hand.
One judge extraordinarily scored the fight 96-94 to Yoka, but the other two both had it 96-94 the other way.
Takam won a split decision, one that leaves Yoka’s career in a perilous position.
From: Skysports