On May 30 (May 31 Japan time), Christian Medina (Mexico, 120 lbs) — ranked No.1 by the WBO and No.7 by the IBF at bantamweight, with a record of 24 wins (17 KOs) and 4 losses — fought Juan Ramirez (Mexico, 16 wins [9 KOs], 9 losses) in a Matchroom Boxing event held in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In the second round, Medina snapped Ramirez’s head back with a right uppercut following a left hook, then landed a sweeping right hand that scored a knockdown. After the fight resumed, Medina overwhelmed Ramirez with a flurry of left and right hooks, prompting the referee to quickly step in and stop the fight.
Since suffering a unanimous decision loss to current champion Ryosuke Nishida (Mutsushima Gym, 10 wins, no losses, 2 KOs) in an IBF bantamweight title eliminator held at Edion Arena Osaka on August 11, 2023, 25-year-old Christian Medina has now recorded four consecutive TKO victories.
Having showcased his punching power and maintained his position as the WBO’s No.1 contender, Medina is now awaiting an official mandate to challenge WBO bantamweight world champion Yuki Takei (Ohashi Gym, 11 wins, no losses, 9 KOs).
Melikuziev wins WBA super middleweight title eliminator.
On May 30 (May 31 Japan time), a WBA super middleweight title eliminator was held as the main event of a Golden Boy Promotions card at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, USA.
In the 12-round bout, WBA No.3 Bektemir Melikuziev (Uzbekistan, 15 wins [10 KOs], 1 loss) faced off against WBA No.4 Darius Fulghum (USA, 14 wins [12 KOs], undefeated). Melikuziev won the fight by decision.
Southpaw Bektemir Melikuziev, despite dealing with a nosebleed from the early rounds, engaged in a slugfest with the hard-hitting Darius Fulghum. While Fulghum possessed one-punch knockout power, he lacked finesse, allowing Melikuziev to gain the upper hand by effectively using his jab. However, in round 7, Melikuziev was docked one point for holding.
The later rounds turned into a grueling battle, with both fighters visibly fatigued and unsteady. Near the end of round 10, Melikuziev landed a clean one-two combination that caused Fulghum to nearly collapse. By round 11, both were exhausted, trading punches with little regard for defense.
In the final round, early on, Melikuziev landed a perfectly timed left hook that dropped Fulghum to the canvas. Though Fulghum tried to stage a comeback, Melikuziev held him off until the final bell.
The official scores were: Tim Cheatham (USA) 114–112, David Sutherland (USA) 114–112, and Steve Weisfeld (USA) 114–112 — all in favor of Melikuziev.
Bektemir Melikuziev, the 2016 Rio Olympic silver medalist in the middleweight division, has earned the right to challenge for a world title. The question now is whether his target will be the undisputed super champion, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (Mexico, 63 wins [39 KOs], 2 losses, 2 draws), or if Melikuziev will instead face interim champion Caleb Plant (USA, 23 wins [14 KOs], 2 losses), with the winner being elevated to WBA “regular” champion. It wouldn’t be surprising if a fight for the regular title is sanctioned.
The WBA Championship Committee has the explicit authority to modify the mandatory defense schedule and to temporarily suspend various rules when deemed necessary. Under those provisions, the WBA can grant special permissions, so how things unfold from here will be interesting to watch from a different perspective.
I’m also keeping an eye on Medina, who previously lost to current champion Ryosuke Nishida in an IBF bantamweight title eliminator!
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
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