Babic Drops Winters Twice In A Brutal TKO2 Win at Fight Camp
UNITED KINGDOM (August 22, 2020) — Chicago Heavyweight Shawndell Winters lost a fight to former champion Joseph Parker by knockout in Texas in February. His opponent, Croatian Alen Babic, had three KOs in his three fights and had never gone past the third round.
Shortly after arriving for his Fight Camp 2020 appearance 39-year old Winters (13-4, 12 KOs) let his opinion of Babic and his objective be known. “They made a mistake bringing me over here because it will propel me. When I beat him, when I show him how to fight, he will understand.”
He also said, “I’m known for bringing the smoke! He has fought three cab drivers and has never been hit by a punch.”
Babic addressed any questioning about his early record, “I am not here by accident, I trained for ten years for this, I’m ready now for everything so I don’t need to wait.”
As the tension increased at the press conference Babic shared his own predictions. “There’s no way he doesn’t get KO’d by me,” said Babic. “I don’t want to sound too cocky, but I’m too good, fast and strong for him. Joseph Parker did him in five rounds so I am going to try and do it in three or four rounds.”
They had eight rounds to settle their differences.
Babic only needed two to prove Winters had miscalculated the importance of his advantage in experience. The Croatian kept the formula simple, marched from A to B, and fired away with huge bombs. Winters’ legs, and a jab or two, helped evade the early artillery. However, Babic’s power eventually started to find its mark. And the shots took effect immediately.
Winters finished the first stanza looking like his movement and distance weren’t going to hold up for long. Nor could he stand and trade with his opponent. Babic started quickly to capitalize on any lingering effects of left hook that scored a knockdown at the end of round one. In round two he continued to force the issue and punish Winters with a variety of power punches. With Winters unable to fend him off, Babic finally forced his way inside to unload a combination that ended with another flush left hook that immediately dropped Winters in a corner. The Chicagoan was unable to continue on any further.
In the first round, Winters struck first landing a solid right hand on Babic. Babic stalked and worked his way inside to chop away at the Chicagoan’s body. He also found an opening for a booming left hook in the final minute of the round. Winters bounced back forward off the ropes pivoted to the left and set up against the ropes again. Babic moved in with a flurry and connected with a another crushing left hook that resulted in a knockdown.
Babic’s furious pressure increased in the second frame, and Winters’ legs started to fail him. After one flurry along the ropes Babic pushed Winters to the canvas, and the 39-year old laid flat on back looking spent. Once the action resumed the Croatian barreled forward throwing powerful shots with both hands.
He landed a pair of big right hands during the onslaught, and then finished with a clean-up left hook that dropped Winters for good. The bout came to an end at 2:26.
Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
