Chilemba brings drama to FNF

South African super middleweight Isaac Chilemba scored a mild upset over previously unbeaten Russian prospect Maxim Vlasov to provide an entertaining start to Friday Night Fights on ESPN 2 in Tulsa, Okla. The main event, however, turned out to be a disappointment as featherweight contender Juan Carlos Burgos punished the overmatched Frankie Archuleta before stopping him in the second round.

Chilemba (16-1-1, 8 KOs) scored a close unanimous decision despite being floored twice in the eighth round by hard rights from the Russian. Vlasov (19-1, 10 KOs) appeared to have gained control of the fight after getting the worst of it early, but allowed the South African to rally in the closing rounds and looked to have gotten the worst of it judging by the multiple cuts to his face.

Chilemba will return to his native country to fight Vikapita Meroro on March 26; the stylish youngster showed enough heart and technique to merit a shot at better competition. Ditto for Burgos (26-1, 19 KOs), who clearly outclassed the 35 year-old Archuleta (27-81-1, 14 KOs). The New Mexican would be better served by handlers who don’t offer him up as a bounce-back punching bag for a foe clearly beyond his means.

In the televised coda South African bantamweight contender Simipiwe Vetyeka crumpled former IBF minimumweight beltholder Roberto Levya with a left hook to the body in the third round. Vetyeka improved his record to 22-1 (13 KOs) but must wait his turn in boxing’s most stacked division. His lone loss was a tight unanimous decision in May 2007 to WBC featherweight champ Hozumi Hasegawa in Tokyo.