Kossoballskiy: Kossobutskiy apologizes for foul fest that resulted in humiliating DQ loss

The only legitimate heavyweight low blow debacle from last weekend has resulted in a public apology.

Kazakhstan's Zhan Kossobutskiy has openly expressed regret for his embarrassing performance in his August 26 disqualification loss to Efe Ajagba. The previously unbeaten heavyweight was deducted two points in the third round before ultimately getting sent to the showers by referee Chris Flores at 0:33 of round four in their ESPN-televised contest in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Once Ajagba applied the pressure, Kossobutskiy mentally checked out and turned their scheduled 10-round bout into a foul fest. While Kossobutskiy claimed Ajagba also engaged in dirty tactics, he took responsibility for taking it too far.

“I hereby would like to [apologize to the] WBC, the American Boxing Authorizes and whole boxing sport fans all over the world for my non-sporting behavior,” Kossobutskiy said in a statement. “I realize that I did not behave like a professional boxer and I took the wrong actions.

“After receiving numerous low-blow-shots by my opponent, I got out of control, lost my professionalism and tried to do vigilantism.”

Kossobutskiy (19-1, 18KOs) was granted a golden opportunity to shine on a day and night dedicated to heavyweight action.

Earlier in the day on ESPN+, Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) defended three heavyweight world championship belts in a ninth-round knockout of England’s Daniel Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland. Ironically, there was also controversy involving a low blow. A portion of Dubois' right glove landed under Usyk's beltline in round five, which sent Usyk to the canvas. Referee Luis Pabon ruled it a low blow. Usyk went on to drop Dubois twice en route to a ninth-round TKO. Dubois and promoter Frank Warren have vowed to protest the results, likely to no avail.

In the main event of the U.S. program, unbeaten contender Jared Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) stopped Ukraine's Andriy Rudenkp (35-7, 21 KOs) inside five rounds. In the opener, 2020 Olympic gold medalist Bakhodir Jalolov (13-0, 13 KOs) scored a first-round knockout of Nigeria's Onoriode Ehwarieme.

“I know it had nothing to do with professional boxing and will assure you that such behavior will not be seen from me again in the future,” promised Kossobutskiy.