BRAMPTON — The CAA Centre floor filled with guests on Saturday night to watch the boxing matches of the evening, with Karl Hess versus Mponda Kalunga on the roster as the fourth fight of the night.
But in an unprecedented turn of events, Hess was defeated in the third round.
Known for his powerful swing, Hess was unable to use it to the fullest as Kalunga would force a cat-and-mouse chase in the ring. After taking a sharp jab to the face in the first round, Hess fought the rest as the underdog and gave the upper hand to Kalunga. Kalunga ended the third round with a series of swift hooks and an upper cut that solidified a knock out.
Hess’s loss was internalized most by his coach.
“I should have gotten him a fight in between,” said Coach Jackie Armour, noting that Hess’s last fight against Mikhail Miler was in January. “I think it’s a bit my fault for not being able to motivate him and get him ready going in that first round. I should have been on him a bit more,” he said.
Going into the fight, Hess was ranked fourth in the super-welter weight division, but after this loss there are decisions yet to be made for his next move.
“We still have to sit with Karl and decide where his career is headed and where we’re gonna go,” he said.
As for now, Hess’s stats sit at three wins: 1 by split decision and two by TKO, and two losses: one by split decision and one by KO.
