Both fighters start cautiously. Kovacs moves around Diaz, exchanging jabs. After the first minute Diaz decides to throw some wide hooks, but Koko moves out of the way, throwing swift punches. Diaz tries to get closer and lands a couple of body shots.
Score : 10-10
Round 2
Kovacs lets Diaz come forward, then connects with a straight right. Diaz gets closer and tries to land his own punches, but Koko blocks them. There is some clinching, but the referee separates the fighters. Diaz throws a big haymaker, but Koko immediately counters him with a quick straight right. Diaz is not intimidated and throws a couple of left hooks, but they land on Koko's gloves or in the air. Koko looks much faster than his opponent. Diaz forces the action and throws left-right hooks. Koko answers with swift combinations.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 3
Koko lowers his hands and tries to confuse Diaz, but Diaz lands a clean left hook. Diaz is fueled and tries to cut off the ring. Diaz throws double left hooks, and Koko barely blocks them. Diaz continues to attack and throws a right, but Koko connects with a nice straight left, that definitely bothers Diaz, who shakes his head, sjowing that the punch had no effect. Diaz jumps on Koko, who throws a left hook, followed by a straight right, but they don't land clean. Koko throws a right that connects. Diaz clinches and throws right hooks to the head and the ribs. The referee separates them. Koko connects with a straight right and witha a left hook before the bell.
Score : 10 - 10
Round 4
Koko outmaneuvers Diaz, who is unable to follow him. Koko fights passively, lets Diaz come right at him. Diaz steps forward...into a straight left. He gets fired up and misses with huge haymakers. Koko lands a sharp left hook. Diaz seems a bit clueless. Koko doesn't force the action, so the rest of the round is quite uneventful. Koko is cut under the right eye, due to an unintentional head-butt from Diaz.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 5
The round starts slowly. Koko, stays on the outside, and lets Diaz dictate the pace. Diaz comes forward, but he hits nothing but air. No clean shots in the first minute. Kovacs suddenly throws a left hook, that lands on the gloves, but follows with a straight right that nails Diaz, who seems stunned for a second. Diaz tires to answer, but Koko connects with a left uppercut. Diaz is not intimidated and presses the action, connecting with a left hook to the body and a big right to the head. Koko clinches. They separate and Diaz moves forward, but Koko connects with a clean right.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 6
The first minute is quite uneventful. The fighters clinch and Diaz presses Koko's head down. To everybody's surprise, the referee deducts a point from Diaz. The fighters seem fired up by the pause and the action heats up again. Koko lands more punches. However, Koko is definitely passive, he doesn't fight as intensively as he usually does.
Score : 10 - 8 Koko (because of the point deduction)
Round 7
Now, Koko dictates the pace, moving forward. The referee warns both fighters to avoid the clash of heads. Koko plants his feet more often, trying to generate more power to his punches. Kovacs seems more focused and lands some nice straight left-rights. Diaz throws punches in the air. In the final minute of the round, Koko fights on his toes again, outmaneuvering Diaz, who appears to have slowed down a bit. Diaz throws two wild haymakers, missing by a mile, but he can't keep his balance and grabs Koko. Both fighters fall on the ground. Koko seems to have found the right strategy and now is in complete command.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 8
Diaz looks somewhat tired. Koko moves well and Diaz is unable cut off the ring. Koko finds the rhythm and easily peppers Diaz with sharp, accurate straight left-rights. Diaz hits nothing but air and Koko counters him at will, schooling his opponent.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 9
Koko seems a bit tired and Diaz gets back in the game. Koko lands a couple of punches, but he can't keep Diaz off. Diaz tries to make it a brawl, but doesn't succeed. Koko blocks his punches and wins a very close round.
Score : 10 - 9 Koko
Round 10
Diaz comes out agressive. Lands a double left hook to the body and forces a brawl. Diaz connects with a couple of right hooks. Koko gets a bit passive and again, Diaz dictates the pace. Koko fights on his toes and lands some jabs. Diaz pressures and lands clean hooks to the body and head.
Score : 10 - 9 Diaz
Round 11
Diaz is now fired up and comes forward again. Koko seems exhausted. Diaz smells blood and lands wild uppercuts to Koko's midsection. It's a wake-up call for Koko, who immediately lands a big left uppercut to the chin, followed by an accurate straight right. Diaz is dazed and punches blindly, but Koko counters him with a straight right again. Diaz wobbles and grabs Koko. They fall on the canvas. The referee rules it a slip. Diaz attacks desperately and now Koko decides to exchange punches with him. Koko lands huge left-right hooks. Diaz clinches and hangs on for dear life . The referee deducts a point from Diaz for excessive holding. Diaz moves forward, but Koko hits him with a sharp left cross, then a straight right that makes Diaz fall on his knees. The referee counts to eight, Diaz gets up. The bell rings.
Score : 10 - 7 Koko (one point is deducted from Diaz)
Round 12
Diaz tries to turn the fight. Comes forward throwing haymakers, but Koko moves out of the way. Diaz misses by a mile and when he gets beck in position, Koko jumps at him, connecting two left hooks. Diaz falls off to the corner. He gates up, but he is definitely hurt. The referee stops the contest and Diaz doesn't protest. TKO! The ring is immediately filled with Koko's celebrating friends, including Darius Michalczewski.
The winner, and new WBO featherweight champion : István "Koko" Kovács!!!
In the post-fight interview Koko admitted that he wasn't at his best. He promised that we still haven't seen the best of him. Koko congratulated Diaz for his brave effort and called out "Prince" Naseem Hamed, who is now ranked number 1 by the WBO.
2001.01.29. Boros "Golyo" Tamás
