Revenge is a dish best served cold with a giant right hand.
Glory welterweight champion Cedric Doumbe (72-6-1, 42 KOs) defended his title at Glory 66 with a resounding knockout over former foe Alim Nabiyev.
Doumbe, fighting before his adopted home of France, found himself in a heated rematch against Nabiyev, who was so confident he would again secure victory that he routinely showboated throughout the contest. But Doumbe with faster hands and heavier punches, exacted revenge with a KO in the second round.
Doumbe with a KO of the year candidate 😱 pic.twitter.com/cck3GplH89
— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) June 23, 2019
The two budding welterweights met at Glory 51, where Nabiyev walked home with a split-decision victory. This return match had a much more decisive outcome.
“Last time, I was only 20 percent,” the defending champion shared in the ring. “This time I tried very, very hard. I was ready for five rounds with this guy. I said I would knock him out in the second round. Even if he stayed up… I would’ve knocked him out anyway. I am the best welterweight in Glory.”
Doumbe, 26, also mentioned he has his crosshairs on Dutch stylist Murthel Groenhart, who the champion also dropped a split-decision verdict to. They battled it out at Glory 44. But their history doesn’t end there as before that Doumbe defeated Groenhart on points in 2016. A rubbermatch would put a stamp on their blood-rivalry.
Doumbe has now won five straight and 18 of his last 20. The run includes two points victories over Nieky Holzken.
Promotional super bantamweight champion Anissa Meksen (98-4, 31 KOs) and light heavyweight beltholder Artem Vakhitov (20-5, 8 KOs) retained also retained their titles. Meksen, of France, turned away Sofia Olofsson (49-8, 21 KOs) in the opening round on cuts and Vakhitov edged out Donegi Abena (24-5, 6 KOs) by way of a split-decision from the judges.
