Ruslan Chagaev, the WBA heavyweight boxing champion of the world and practicing Muslim from Russia, faced Italy’s Francesco Pianeta in his first defense of the title he won almost exactly one year ago.

Chagaev came into the bout with a 33-2-1 (20 KOs) record, his only professional losses coming to fellow heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko and former world champ Alexander Povetkin. Pianeta entered Saturday’s bout at 31-1-1 (17 KOs). His only pro loss was to Klitschko.