UBO Flashback: When "The Fish" Survived The Bite Of "The Cobra"

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FEBRUARY 17, 2022 / BY UBO PRESS OFFICER

Jack Culcay, Brian Rose, Chris Eubank Jr., Michel Soro and Frank Buglioni, just to mention some of the prominent fighters he took on, often on short notice, in his 20-13-1 (7) career.

In February of 2011 he won the Universal Boxing Organization™ (UBO) International Middleweight title, decisioning tough Latvian Jurijs Boreiko, and seven months later he retained the title out-pointing Uruguay´s former world title-challenger Ruben Silva Diaz.

In May of 2012 Ribchev was matched with Argentinian Crispulo Javier “La Cobra” Andino (14-3-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant UBO Inter-Continental Middleweight title, at the National Winter Sports Palace in Sofia.

The local man didn't have the best of starts in the fight, as a confident Andino had come to win and shockingly floored Ribchev in the second round with a vicious left hook.

Badly hurt, Ribchev got up and through the round, and after surviving a shaky third stanza he eventually recovered, but only because of his great conditioning.

The fight continued at a high pace, both men having their moments, but as the rounds went Ribchev started to find his rhythm and took over.

It was however a very competitive fight, and, while Ribchev deserved the victory, the scores of 118-110, 118-109, 118-109 nowhere near painted an accurate picture of what unfolded in the ring.

It was high drama in Sofia, and on this night “The Fish” survived the bit of “The Cobra” and prevailed to become UBO champion a second time.