Souleymane Cissokho can utter a “phew” of relief.
For a long time domineering but bordering on correctional at the end of the fight, the boxer signed a victory on Saturday against the Englishman Kieron Conway.
This match in Arlington, Texas allows him to seize the WBA intercontinental belt of super-welterweights.
In front of a crowd of 70,000 people, the 29-year-old Frenchman was given the winner by two out of three judges (92-97, 96-93, 95-94).
This is his 13th victory - the 8th before the limit, in as many fights.
Fear at the end of the match
Perfectly entered into the heart of the matter, with full-face left jabs which made his opponent's nose bleed from the 3rd round, he quickly gained the upper hand in the counting.
Taller, but less mobile, Conway failed to capitalize on his size advantage, with Cissokho unrolling clinical boxing if not lethal.
And in the sport where one hit is enough to make a difference, Conway's powerful left hook, which hit the Frenchman's right eye in the 9th round, almost made a difference.
Cissokho dropped to two knees and was briefly counted by the referee, before suffering a hail of blows from the Englishman who failed to finish the job.
On which, almost as if nothing had happened, he took over and finished the fight strong enough to maintain his lead in points.
Aim for the Top 10
"It's nice because it's a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice, it's the first time I've tasted the ground, but at least I went to get the belt", he reacted by proudly showing the latter hanging from his waist a few minutes after the fight.
He can now savor because this victory will allow him to quickly climb the ladder in the super-welterweight hierarchy, probably the World Top 10.
Sport
Eighteen months later, Souleymane Cissokho makes a successful return to Dallas
Sport
Francis Ngannou, from the Parisian street to the world heavyweight belt in UFC
Sport
Boxing
Texas