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, scoring three knockdowns to win the WBA Interim 122-lb title on 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 Akhmadaliev knocked out Espinoza in the third round of a 12-round contest to claim the WBA interim belt. The time of stoppage was 2:59 of the third.
In the first round, returning after a year, Akhmadaliev had a slight edge, landing from the southpaw several solid lefts to Espinoza’s chin. Both had landed solid shots in a close second round. In the third round, halfway through, Akhmadaliev got a lead back on the chin and scored an 8 count knockdown from referee Jean Robert Laine.
With a minute left, Akhmadaliev landed a left, and as he backed up, Espinoza fell forward to the canvas for another knockdown and another 8-count. In the final seconds, a left from Akhmadaliev dropped Espinoza for the 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 fight for 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, dropping Clarke for an 8-count from referee Jon Lona Fernandez. In the second and third rounds, Clarke came back well and took two close rounds in a slugfest. In the fourth round, Mosquea came back well and took the round.
Rounds six through nine went back and forth, landing bombs from both fighters. In the tenth round, Clarke had his best round. This 12-rounder must 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 overworked 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 challenger Gary Cully (18-2, 10 KOs) lost to former IBO world lightweight southpaw champion Maxi Hughes (28-7-2, 6 KOs) by a 10-round unanimous decision. Cully suffered a cut above his right eye in the fifth round and had to deal with the bleeding in the second half.
In the first three rounds, it was all action from both southpaws. Using his reach, the taller Cully mainly lands his jab while Hughes comes in and lands with both hands with an edge. Cully starts going to the body in the fourth round and Hughes counters him.
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 received a bad cut on 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 that.
In the seventh round, Hughes had two minutes to reopen the cut. 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 pitched a shutout. Give Cully credit for going the distance with a bad cut for five rounds.
The referee was Mikeal Hook. Scores 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) pitched a shutout defeating former EBU champion Licia Boudersa (23-3-2, 4 KOs ‘er) over 10× 2 laps.
In the first round, referee Diana Drews warned Milani Boudersa twice for holding and using her head, but Ferreira easily won the round. Ferreira used a good right uppercut from the second to seventh rounds, taking each round and drawing blood from the nose in the sixth round.
In the eighth round, referee Milani warned Ferreira to strike on the break. Frustrated, Ferreira landed a strong body attack and took another round. Ferreira drove Boudersa into the ropes in the ninth round as Boudersa’s corner was ready to throw in the towel. Ferreira dominated in the tenth and final round, turning southpaw and punishing strong.
The results 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 one minute into the round. Shortly after this he went down for the second time. After a third knockdown, referee Laine stopped everything in the first round.
The ring announcer was David Diamante.