By Steven Cummings
Dimitry Bivol reversed his fortunes by coming on down the stgretch against Artur Beterbiev and earning a majority decision win on Saturday. Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) avenged his only pro loss, also a MD12, to Beterbiev last October.
Bivol won the first two rounds with sharper punches and more sustained action against Beterbiev, who came forward as always to press the action. But rounds four through six saw Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) take control and outpunch Bivol, who wasn’t as mobile and much less effective with his shots.
Round seven looked like the first round as Bivol fired off combinations that kept Bivol from sustaining any attack.. The 40-year old Russian always came forward, putting on pressure, but Bivol handled it with brilliant movement and precise combinations.
The pattern continued in Bivol’s favor through 11 rounds as Beterbiev was not able to get a rally going at any time, just a few menacing punches here and there as he chased Bivol. Meanwhile, Bivol had his rhythm and maintained his offense while on the move from harm’s way.
Beterbiev got a big right hand in midway through the 12th that stopped Bivol’s moemntum and rhythm. Beterbiev desperately tried to follow up but couldnt get Bivol in serious trouble.
Official scores were 115-113 and 116-112 for Bivol with one card showing 114-114. InTheCorner.net had it 115-1113 for Bivol.
JOSEPH PARKER KO2 over MARTIN BAKOLE
Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) stopped late sub Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) in the second round with a blow to the top of the head that sent a wobbly Bakole to the canvas. Bakole got up but and looked unsteady as the fight was called off at the 2:17 mark.
Parker was to fight Daniel Dubois, but the IBF heavyweight champion fell ill and Bakole was brought in on short notice. Parker indicated he had no reservations about facing the dangerous Bakole, and he fought like it.
Bakole made a big splash last summer when he stopped Jared “Big Baby” Anderson spectacular fashion on the Terence Crawford – Isrial Madrimov fight. But this was a different Martin Bakole and Parker was a much more formidable opponent.
Just before the end, Parker landed a solid right hand flush on the jaw of Bakole who shook his head defiantly and pressed forward. Seconds later, Parker wound up with a big right hand that found the top of Bakole’s head and the 6’6″ giant from The Congo wobbled like a bowling pin before crashing to the canvas. Bakole beat the count but was extremely shaky, prompting the stoppage.
Parker has now strung together six straight victories since his last loss to Joe Joyce in 2022.
SHAKUR STEVENSON TKO9 over JOSH PADLEY
Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) stopped late sub Josh Padley (15-1, 4 KOs) in the ninth round after scoring three knockdowns. Padley stepped in on just a couple of days’ notice when Floyd Schofield dropped out due to illness.
Stevenson floored Padley in the ninth round with a body shot and followed up to get the stoppage. Padley had a few moments throughout the fight but there was a clear class difference from the opening bell. Official time of the stoppage was 3:00
CARLOS ADAMES D12 HAMZAH SHEERAZ
WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) and Hamzah Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs) fought to a draw in a fight that many felt Adames won clearly. The much shorter Adames came forward throughout the fight and worked to get inside the long reach of Sheeraz. Official scores were 118-110 Adames, 115-114 Sheeraz and 114-114.
It was a grind of a fight as Adames worked in to get his shots off and then got out while Sheeraz didn’t throw consistently. From the fifth round on, Adames had the upper hand except for isolated moments when Sheeraz would score but not followup. InTheCorner.net had Adames winning 118-110.
VERGIL ORTIZ JR. UD12 over ISRAIL MADRIMOV
Vergil Ortiz Jr. came on after a very slow start against the awkward Israil Madrimov and defended his WBC interim super welterweight title with a unanimous decision win. Ortiz Jr. (23-0, 21 KOs) applied the pressure and slowed Madrimov (10-2-1, 7 KOs) down over the second half of the fight.
Official scores – 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113.
AGIT KABAYEL KO6 over ZHILEI ZHANG
Agit Kabayel got up from a knockdown and stopped Zhilei Zhang in six rounds with a barrage of body shots that sent Zhang down for the count. Official time of the stoppage was 2:29.
Kabayel pressed the action from the second round on and worked Zhang’s big body relentlessly. Zhang couldn’t get space to fire off his deadly power shots for long stretches of action.
Even so, while being routed on the inside by the shorter German, Zhang managed to score a knockdown in the fifth round with a straight left hand to the side of the head/neck area. Kabayel took it well and got up looking strong.
The action continued in Kabayel’s favor for the remainder of the fifth and the beginning of the sixth. Suddenly, Zhang doubled over from a body shot and the referee waved Kabayel away without making a count. After the action resumed, Kabayel kept it up and sent Zhang to one knee in obvious pain with more body shot damage. The fight was waved and Kabayel became the WBC interim heavyweight champ.
CALLUM SMITH UD12 over JOSHUA BUATSI
Callum Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) lifted the WBO interim light heavyweight belt from Joshua Buatsi (19-1, 13 KOs) with a hard-fought 12 round UD. Back and forth they went for all 12 rounds, with Smith’s shots often heavier. Official scores were 119-111, 116-112 and 115-113. InTheCorner.net had it a draw at 114-114.
Smith was cut above the right eye in round four and it bled heavily down the stretch. Throughout the bout, Smith dug shots to the body, getting a reaction from Buatsi on numerous occasions.
Joshua Buatsi fought hard down the stretch and positioned himself to take advantage of the weary Smith over the second half of the fight. But Buatsi was weary as well and Callum Smith closed it out with a strong 12th round.
Excellent scrap showing both have a lot to offer in the light heavyweight division.
