Sergio 'The Phoenix' Leveque 
-vs-
Nikolay 'The Siberian Express' Sazhin 



Photo credit: Fabio Salmoirago


FISP - 1st International Chessboxing Show - 24 October 2015
Hurricane, Italy

The wait for the highlight of the evening was rising, and after Emanuela Suanno's last show, the one with the fire, it was time to light the powders. The European Champion Sergio Leveque went into the ring followed by the World Champion Nikolay Sazhin , there was already a different "touch" between the two from the choice of musical motifs that accompanied their descent into the ring.

First round of chess: Sergio opens with the king's pawn, the Siberian plays 1)… d6. Shortly thereafter he re-enters an accepted king's gambit. 11 moves (for both players) in 3 minutes; after the gong gloves are put on. We are witnessing an intense round; Sazhin has to shorten the distance to be able to score, Leveque tries to keep him at a distance with the forehand, when the Russian arrives under deadly blows, often to score. It is the Russian who wins the second half on the cards of all the judges. He resumes with chess, Sazhin even manages to be faster than Leveque, a tense encounter is expected in every sense.

These are the moves of the moves made in the first two rounds of chess. 1. e4 d6 2. Cc3 Cf6 3. f4 e5 4. Cf3 exf4 5. Ac4 Ag4 6. OO Ae7 7. d4 OO 8. Axf4 c6 9. Ad3 Cbd7 10. De1 Axf3 11. Txf3 Db6 ( here the game resumes in 3rd round) 12. Ce2 Dxb2 13. Tb1 Dxa2 14. Txb7 Tfb8 15. Txb8 + Txb8 16. Th3 Tb1 17. Cc1 Db2 18. c3… gong! you go back to wearing 12 oz gloves. Same script as in the first round, with Leveque trying to score before Sazhin manages to get under. And Sergio scores several times. The impression, however, is that the blows of the Russian, when they arrive, hurt more. Leveque searches for lateral displacements but, despite this, Sazhin still manages to find the target with a right to the body that the Italian accuses and when the two chessboxers have completed the exchanges by turning 90º, up to get under the corner where there is is the master Burli, the Russian unloads a left-right which, both on target, send Leveque to the mat. The referee starts the count but, almost immediately,he decides to interrupt the meeting by helping the Italian to get back on his feet. Leveque signals that he wants to continue, but the referee has made his decision.

The verdict is announced and Sazhin is crowned World Heavyweight Champion. Heartfelt congratulations to him for the value shown by managing to defeat the reigning European Champion quite easily.
L
W
Sergio 'The Phoenix' Leveque Name Nikolay 'The Siberian Express' Sazhin
5-1-0 W-L-D 4-1-0
37 Age 26(?)
193 cm Height ?
90 kg Weight ?
200 cm Reach ?
2009 ELO 2005
Italy Country Russia
Castellammare di Stabia (Na) Italy Hometown Krasnoyarsk
Boxe Spoleto Gym
Betting shop manager Job

Sazhin wins via boxing - TKO (Round 4)

[Event "FISP - 1st International Chessboxing Show"] [Site "Hurricane, Italy, Italy"] [Date "2015.10.24"] [Round "5"] [White "Sergio 'The Phoenix' Leveque"] [Black "Nikolay 'The Siberian Express' Sazhin"] [Result "*"] 1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 e5 4. Nf3 exf4 5. Bc4 Bg4 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 O-O 8. Bxf4 c6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. Qe1 Bxf3 11. Rxf3 Qb6 { here the game resumes in 3rd round} 12. Ne2 Qxb2 13. Rb1 Qxa2 14. Rxb7 Rfb8 15. Rxb8 + Rxb8 16. Rh3 Rb1 17. Nc1 Qb2 18. c3…