Magee loses out on points
Brian Magee failed in his bid to claim to vacant European super-middleweight title after dropping a controversial split decision against unbeaten Vitali Tsypko.
Although the Belfast fighter looked more active throughout, two judges ruled 115-113 and 115-114 in favour of the Ukrainian, with the third one giving it 115-114 for Magee.
In the fifth round, the Irishman suffered a cut above his right eye which might have come from a head butt but still managed to control most of the hard-fought 12 rounds.
The awkward meeting of two southpaws got off to a cagey start, with Magee looking a bit more active in the first round.
Both fighters kept going forward in the second. Tsypko landed a quick right hook to the head without making significant impact, though.
Athletic Tsypko looked a bit more accurate with his fast combinations in the third round, whereas Magee got in some nice quick shots himself in the fourth.
The action heated up in the fifth. A bad cut opened just above Magee´s right eye, and it looked as if it came from a headbutt.
Tsypko later in the round torched it with a crushing left. The Ukrainian, however, suffered a cut on the right of his forehead, which became target to Magee´s attacks in the sixth round.
The Belfast fighter took control in the seventh when he looked dominant with his quick combinations and also connected with a few rights to the head.
He surprised his opponent with a big right at the beginning of the eighth whilst comfortably working his tactic of aggressing and clinching.
Magee did well to protect his cut on the right eye, but Tsypko – knowing he had to raise his game – started going forward in the 10th.
The Ukrainian connected with a few lefts to the head in the penultimate round, with Magee clinching and scoring on occasional counter-attacks.
Although Magee had started to tire, he challenged Tsypko for some spirited exchange in the 12th.
And while the fight should have gone to Magee, the result added to Germany´s dubious reputation as a hostile place to win a decision.
