In the main event, IBF World, IBO World, WBA Super World, WBC World, WBO World light heavy champion Artur Beterbiev, 21-1 (20), lost a majority decision to former champ Dmitrii Bivol, 24-1 (12) by a 12-round unanimous decision last Saturday night at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
In the first two rounds, Bivol used an effective jab to counter the aggressive, hard-hitting Beterbiev. From the third through the sixth, Beterbiev outlanded Bivol. Dmitry then came back, taking rounds seven through the ninth round.
In the tenth round, Beterviev may have evened the score until Bivol landed a flurry of punches at the end of the round, possibly stealing it. In the eleventh round, Beterbiev started strong, but Bivol came back in the final minute. In the twelfth and final round, Bivol seemed ahead and was moving well until Beterbiev opened a cut on Bivol’s left eyebrow with a minute remaining.
The scores were 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112.
WBO Interim heavy champion Joseph Parker, 36-3 (24), stopped NABF and WBO Int’l champion Martin Bakole, 21-2 (16), at 2:17 of the second round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round, it was mostly feeling one another out until the final seconds, when Bakole rocked Parker with a right on the chin. In the second round, Parker landed a hard right on the chin, dropping Bakole back and down. He couldn’t beat referee Steve Gray’s count, ending the fight.
WBC World Light champion southpaw Shakur Stevenson, 23-0 (11), stopped Josh Padley, 15-1 (4) after nine rounds of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first six rounds, Stevenson picked Padley apart with his jab. In the ninth round, Stevenson dropped Padley with a body shot for an 8-count from referee Victor Loughlin. Stevenson dropped Padley two more times before the fight was finally stopped.
WBC World Middle champion Carlos ‘Bronco’ Adames, 24-1-1 (18), ended in a split decision draw with Commonwealth, EBU, WBC Silver champion Hamzah ‘Mohammed’ Sheeraz, 21-0-1 (17) over 12 rounds.
In the first four rounds, Adames pressed Sheeraz, out-landing him while Sheeraz countered him, moving around the ring.
In the sixth through the tenth rounds, Sheeraz came back well enough to hold his own. Adames walked slowly to his corner after the ninth round, tired from chasing Sheeraz.
In the eleventh and twelfth rounds, it went back and forth who won the round.
Referee Hector Afu. Scores 115-114 Sheeraz, 118-110 Adames, 114-114.
WBC Interim World Super Welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz, Jr., 23-0 (21), defeated former WBA World Super Welterweight champion Israil ‘The Dream’ Madrimov, 10-2-1 (7) over 12 rounds.
In the first six rounds, Madrimov countered Ortiz well enough to have an edge, with both of Ortiz’s eyes starting to suffer swelling around them. In the last six rounds, Ortiz did enough fighting in the judge’s eyes to pull out a close, if not disputed, decision.
Scores were 115-113, 115-113 and 117-111.
Referee Kieran McCann
Former Olympic Silver Medalist, WBO Interim champion southpaw Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang, 27-3-1 (22), was knocked out by WBC Continental Americas, WBO NABO champ Agit Kabayel, 26-0 (18) at 2:29 of the sixth round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the third and fourth rounds, Kabayel hurt Zhang with body shots, taking both rounds. Zhang looks tired. In the fifth round, Zhang landed a left on the chin, knocking Kabayel down for an 8-count from Referee Mark Lyson. Kabayel fought back well the rest of the round.
In the sixth round, Kabayel battered Zhang down. Zhang took a knee, and upon getting up, Referee Lyson waved it off as Zhang was exhausted and in no shape to continue.
2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist, WBO Interim World Light heavyweight champ Joshua Buatsi, 19-1 (13), lost to former WBA, WBC Diamond Super middleweight champion Callum ‘Mundo’ Smith, 31-2 (22) by a 12-round unanimous decision.
In the first round, Smith outworked Buatsi, who would, on occasion, clinch. In the second and third rounds, Smith edged Buatsi. In the fourth round, Buatsi finally countered Smith, taking a round.
In the fifth round, Smith knocked out Buatsi’s mouthpiece with a left hook to the chin. In the sixth round, Smith drove a defenseless Buatsi all over the ring, landing left hook after left hook. In the final 20 seconds, Buatsi finally lands a punch, driving Smith into the ropes, but is it enough to steal the round? In the seventh through the tenth, it went back and forth about who was landing more.
In the eleventh and twelfth rounds, Smith had Buatsi on the defense, continuing with his body attack. Both fighters were near exhaustion.
The referee was Howard Foster. The scores were 119-110, 115-113, and 116-112.
Light Mohammed Alakel, 3-0) defeated Engel ‘El Cohete’ Gomez, 8-43-3 (4) over six rounds.
In the first three rounds, Alakel dominated the action. In the sixth and final round, Alakel out-landed Gomez.
The score was 60-54.
Welterweight prospect Ziyad ‘Zizo’ Almaayouf, 7-0-1 (1) defeated Jonatas ’The Marajoara Monster’ Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira, 6-21 (5) over six rounds.
In the three rounds, Almaayouf dominated. In the fifth round, Almaayouf kept out-landing Oliveira. At the halfway point of the sixth and final round, Oliveira finally landed some punches. In the final 30 seconds, Almaayouf opened up to the bell.
Referee Howard Foster scored it 60-54.
The ring Announcers Thomas Treiber and Michael Buffer.
Last Updated on 02/24/2025