Super Middle Weight contender Bekemir Melikuziev (16-1, 10 COs) achieved a narrow 12-round unanimous victory by dropping the previously undefeated Darius Fulghum (14-1, 12 COs) Friday night in the Virgin Hotel Las Vegas, in Las Vegas. The scores were 114-112, 114-112 and 114-112.
Melikuziev starts strong
Bekemir fought well in the first four rounds and landed powerful body shots and left hands that cut back the head of Fulghhum. The body that beat Melikuziev was early in the fight. When he threw to the body, you could see that Fulghum had been bothered by them. Interestingly, Melikuziev left from throwing body shots when the fight went in the second half.
However, Melikuziev started fading in the fifth round and struggling with the power and pace that was Fulghum. Melikuziev sustained a bloody nose that bothers him.
The Uzbek Melikuziev, 29, was penalized for holding seventh by referee Thomas Taylor, who repeatedly warned him to stop holding on. Bekemir returned strongly in the second half of the round and nailed Fulghum with repeated piercing to the head. In eighth place, Bekemir developed a large mouse on his left cheek of a head collision.
In the championships, the weary Southpaw Melikuziev could do just enough to make them disappear with its power shots. Fulghum had trouble landing his shots. He also allowed Bake to force him against the ropes and nail him with shots.
12th round knockdown
In the twelfth, Melikuziev landed a hard body shot, followed by a left hand to the head of Fulghum that put him on the canvas. Fulghum got up and fought hard for the rest of the round, but the damage was done.
In general, it was a close struggle. The way in which Melikuziev and Fulghum performed is as high as one of them can go in the Super Middeeight Division. It would not be good for these two to challenge Canelo Alvarez or any of the top three contenders in the division.
Last updated on 05/31/2025
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