By Allan Fox: Unbeaten #7 IBF Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) earned the right to fight IBF 175lb champion Sergey Kovalev tonight in stopping #13 IBF Karo Murat (27-3-1, 17 KOs) in the 5th round in a scheduled 12 round IBF title eliminator fight at the Civic Auditorium, in Glendale, California, USA.
Barrera unloaded with a storm of shots against a hurt 32-year-old Murat in the 5th round until referee Wayne Hedgpeth halted the fight at 0:25 of the round. Murat wasn’t fighting back the way he needed to in order to keep the referee from jumping in to stop the fight. Murat was also down in the 4th.