“A Beast of a Win” For Cornelius White in Vegas as He Pummels Dmitry Sukhotsky
Cornelius “Da Beast” White more than lived up to his nickname Saturday night in the Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas by battering former world title challenger Dmitry Sukhotsky for 12 rounds to capture the vacant IBF International Light Heavyweight Title in what most insiders viewed an upset of “Beastly Proportions.”
In the eyes of judge Richard Ocasio, the Houston native with a mere 13 amateur fights and now 20-1 (16 KOs) as a pro, pitched a 120-108 shutout, while Robert Hoyle scored the fight 119-109 and Patricia Jarman saw it 118-110.
“Using my jab and staying away from his right hand were the keys to the victory,” said White, who executed the game plan set by his trainer – former IBF middleweight champ Frank Tate. “I took the right hand away from him and I landed a lot of power punches. Both of his eyes were swollen shut and I opened a cut over his right eye and the referee almost stopped the fight in the ninth and tenth rounds.”
Since losing his first bout on the “Big Stage” to Don George in Atlantic City, after posting 16 straight wins to start his pro career, White has responded with four straight victories including a one-sided beating of former Cuban National champion Yordanis Despaigne on the Andre Ward-Carl Froch undercard and his domination of Sukhotsky (18-2, 13 KOs), who had gone the distance in a title bout against then-world champion Juergen Braehmer, and came into Saturday night ranked as the WBO #3, WBA #5 and IBF #12 world contender.
“I am trying to show that I am ready to be a player on the elite level,” stated “Da Beast”, who is managed by Ken Richardson and co-promoted by Dan Goossen and Antonio Leonard. “Tough challenges are what I want and I want Tavoris Cloud or Beibut Shumenov. I know I can beat them both!”
“Like many before him, a loss either destroys your career or takes you to higher levels,” Goossen pointed out.” “It was Cornelius’ loss that made him better, stronger and more determined to overcome everything in the ring moving forward, which he has proved with some mighty big punchers and world-class fighters.”
Leonard added: ” I’ve been saying for the past few years, Cornelius has the mindset and toughness to be a world champion, and he’s getting very close to achieving this goal, Saturday was just another example of his meanness.”
White and his team are targeting a September or October return to the ring.
