Former IBF and WBA World Super Bantam champion Murodjon 'MJ' Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KOs) stopped Ricardo Espinosa (30-5, 25 KOs) in the third round, scoring three knockdowns to win the interim WBA 122-pound title. Saturday night at Le Casino in the Salle des Etoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
In the main event, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Akhmadaliyev knocked out Espinosa in the third round of a 12-round contest to capture the WBA interim belt. The stop time was 2:59 of the third.
In the first round, making his return after a year, Akhmetaliyev got a slight edge that landed off his south leg and landed a solid left uppercut to Espinosa's chin. They both landed hard shots in a close round in the second round. In the third round, halfway through, Akhmed Aliyev took a lead on the chin, scoring 8 knockdowns from referee Jean-Robert Lin.
With a minute to go, Akhmadaliyev landed a left, and as he backed away, Espinoza fell forward to the canvas for a second knockdown and another eight count. In the final seconds, a left ball from Ahmadaliyev dropped Espinosa for the third time, and referee Lin canceled it.
2020 Olympic southpaw Chevon 'C4' Clark (10-1, 7 KOs) lost a 12-round split decision to EBU silver champion Leonardo 'The King' Moskea (16-0, 9 KOs) in a fight for the vacant EBU cruiserweight title. ). Mosquia dropped Clark (34) in the first round.
In the first round, Moscia took dozens of unanswered punches after forty seconds and dropped Clarke for an eight count from referee John Luna Fernandez. In the second and third rounds, Clark came back well, taking two close rounds in a slugfest. In the fourth round, Moschia returned well to take the round.
In the sixth through ninth rounds, I went back and forth, dropping bombs from both fighters. In the 10th round, Clark had his best round. This 12 rounder should be a 10.
In the 11th round, Clark had the advantage with a powerful jab as Mosquia was tiring. In the twelfth and final round, Clark outpointed Mosquia in a close and good fight between the two unbeaten fighters.
The scores were 117-113 for Clark, 116-112, and 115-112 for Mosquera.
#5 WBA lightweight contender Gary Cooley (18-2, 10 KOs) lost to former IBO world lightweight champion southpaw Maxi Hughes (28-7-2, 6 KOs) by 10-round unanimous decision. Kohli suffered a cut over his right eye in the fifth round and had to deal with bleeding in the second half.
The first three rounds were all from both southern ends. Using his reach, the taller Kohli mainly lands his jab while Hughes comes in, landing with both hands. Cooley starts going to the body in the fourth round, and Hughes counters him.
In the fifth round, it was all Hughes with a left arm to the chin, rocking Cooley several times. In the sixth round, after half a minute, Kohli suffered a bad cut in his right eyebrow. By the end of the round, his face was a mask of blood. The referee advised Kohli that he could be suspended for another round like that.
In the seventh round, Hughes had two minutes to reopen the cut. In the eighth round, after a half-round, Hughes knocked out Cooley's mouthpiece. In the ninth round, Hughes edged Cooley two to one.
In the 10th and final round, Hughes may have had the shutout. Give Cully credit for going the distance with a bad chop for five rounds.
The referee was Michal Hauk. Scores are 100-90, 100-90, and 100-90.
IBF World Lightweight Champion, two-time Olympian, and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Beatriz “The Beast” Ferreira (6-0 (2 KOs) delivered a solid knockout victory over former EBU champion Licia Boudersa (23-3-2, 4 KOs) over 10 x 2 rounds.
In the first round, referee Diana Droz twice warned Melanie Boudarsa against holding her head and using it, but Ferreira won the round easily. Ferreira used a good right jab from the second round through the seventh, taking each round and drawing a bloody nose in the sixth.
In the eighth round, referee Melanie Ferreira warned against hitting him during the break. Ferreira became frustrated, was subjected to a strong body attack, and took another round. Ferreira drove Bouderssa to the ropes in the ninth round as Bouderssa's corner was ready to throw in the towel. Ferreira dominated the 10th and final round, turning south and hitting hard.
The scores were 100-90, 100-90, and 100-90.
2024 Olympic heavyweight champion Teferu Teremoana Jr. (5-0, 5 KOs) stopped Volodymyr Katsuk (5-2, 2 KOs) at 2:04 of the first of the scheduled six rounds.
In the first round, a combination from Terremoana to the chin dropped Katsuk for an eight count by referee Jean-Robert Lane a minute into the round. Shortly after that, he went down for the second time. After a third knockdown, the referee called Lin to stop everything in the first round.
The episode's announcer was David Diamanti.
