Former IBF & WBA World Super Bantam Champion Murodjon ‘MJ’ Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs) stopped Ricardo Espinoza (30-5, 25 KOs) in the third round and scored three knockouts to claim the WBA interim 122-lb- title to be won on Saturday night at Le Casino in Salle des Etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
In the main event, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Akhmadaliev knocked out Espinoza in the third round of a 12-round contest to claim the WBA interim belt. The time of the stoppage was at 2:59 of the third.
In the first round, returning after a year, Akhmadaliev had a slight lead from several solid lefts to the chin from Espinoza. Both landed solid punches in an even round in the second. In the third round, at the halfway point of the half, Akhmadaliev landed a lead on the chin and earned an 8-count takedown from referee Jean Robert Laine.
With a minute left, Akhmadaliev landed a left, and as he backed away, Espinoza fell forward to the canvas for a second takedown and another 8 count. In the final seconds, a left from Akhmadaliev dropped Espinoza for a third time, and referee Laine waved it off.
2020 Olympic southpaw Cheavon ‘C4’ Clarke (10-1, 7 KOs) lost a 12-round split decision to EBU Silver champion Leonardo ‘The King’ Mosquea (16-0, 9 KOs) in a battle to the vacant EBU cruiserweight title . ). Mosquea dropped Clarke, 34, in the first round.
In the first round, Mosquea landed a dozen unanswered punches after forty seconds and dropped Clarke for an 8 count from referee Jon Lona Fernandez. In the second and third rounds, Clarke came back well and took two even rounds in a slugfest. In the fourth round, Mosquea came back well and took the round.
In the sixth through ninth rounds it went back and forth, landing bombs from both fighters. In the tenth round Clarke had his best round. This 12-rounder should be a 10.
In the eleventh round Clarke had the edge with a solid jab as Mosquea was tiring. In the twelfth and final round, Clarke outpointed Mosquea in a close and good fight between the two undefeated fighters.
The scores were 117-113 for Clarke, 116-112 and 115-112 for Mosquera.
#5 WBA lightweight contender Gary Cully (18-2, 10 KOs) lost to former IBO world lightweight champion southpaw Maxi Hughes (28-7-2, 6 KOs) via a 10 round unanimous decision. Cully suffered a cut over his right eye in the fifth round and had to deal with the bleeding in the second half.
In the first three rounds, all action was from both southpaws. Using his reach, the taller Cully mainly lands his jab as Hughes comes in, landing with both hands that have an edge. Cully starts going to the body in the fourth round, and Hughes counters.
In the fifth round it was all Hughes with overhand lefts to the chin, rocking Cully several times. In the sixth round, after half a minute, Cully suffered a bad cut to his right eyebrow. By the end of the round, his face was a mask of blood. The referee advised Cully that it could be stopped with another round like this.
In the seventh round, Hughes had two minutes to reopen the cutoff. In the eighth round, after half a round, Hughes knocked the mouthpiece out of Cully. In the ninth round, Hughes beat Culy two to one.
In the tenth and final round, Hughes may have scored a knockout. Credit Cully for going the distance with a bad clip for five rounds.
The referee was Mikeal Hook. Scores 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90.
IBF World Light champion, two-time Olympian, and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Beatriz ‘The Beast’ Ferreira (6-0 (2 KOs) hit a shutout and former EBU champion Licia Boudersa (23-3-2, 4 KOs ) over 10× defeat 2 rounds.
In the first round, referee Diana Drews warned Milani Boudersa twice for holding and using her head, but Ferreira won the round easily. Ferreira used a good right uppercut from the second to the seventh round, taking every round and drawing blood from the nose in the sixth round.
In the eighth round, referee Milani warned Ferreira for hitting on the break. Frustrated, Ferreira landed a strong body attack and took another round. Ferreira drove Boudersa into the ropes in the ninth round when Boudersa’s corner was ready to throw in the towel. Ferreira dominated in the tenth and final round, spinning through the southpaw and punching hard.
The scores were 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90.
Heavyweight 2024 Olympian Tevero Terremoana Jr (5-0, 5 KOs) stopped Volodymyr Katsuk (5-2, 2 KOs) at 2:04 of the first round of a scheduled six rounder.
In the first round, a combination from Terremoana on the chin dropped Katsuk for an 8 count from referee Jean Robert Laine a minute into the round. Shortly after this he went down for a second time. After a third takedown, referee Laine stopped everything in the first round.
The Ring Announcer was David Diamante.
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