By Ken Hissner: At the KRK “Uralets,” Ekaterinburg, Russia, Saturday, over ESPN+ German Titov (Titov RCC/Boxing Promotions), in the Main Event fighting in Russia for the first time since 2017 WBA Super World Light Heavy champion Dmitry Bivol defeated Umar Salamov over 12 rounds. WBO International Super Welter champ champion Magomed “Back Lion” Kurbanov and Patrick Teixeira’s bout was canceled an hour before the fight when Kurbanov suffered from a fever.
In the Main Event WBA Super World Light Heavy Champ Dmitry Bivol, 19-0 (11), #174 ¼, of KYR and St. Petersburg, RUS, easily defeated Umar Salamov, 26-2 (19), #174 ¾, of Grozny, Russia, over 12 lopsided rounds.
In the first round, Bivol had his way with his jab while the taller Salamov warned twice for wrestling Bivol to and toward the canvas. In the second round, final minute Bivol landed combinations to the chin of Salamov, whose accuracy is not good. In the third round, Bivol continued out, landing Salamov. Salamov, in a clinch, tried using his elbow without a warning.
In the fourth round, Bivol continued out boxing Salamov who at the midway point finally landed his first solid punch, a right on the chin of Bivol. The awkward Salamov is frustrated with Bivol’s jab and the fans cheering “Bivol” since the opening round. In the sixth round, Bivol continued landing his jab frustrating Salamov, who couldn’t defend it.
In the seventh round, Salamov warned for low blow and using his left as a range finder, not a jab. In the final minute, Salamov landed a right on the chin of Bivol that had the latter coming back with a flurry of punches. In the eighth round, Bivol landed everything off his jab with rights on the chin of Salamov. In the ninth rounds, final minute Bivol was landing three punches at a time to the head without return from Salamov.
In the tenth and eleventh rounds, Bivol continued a shutout. In the twelfth and final round, the wild swinging desperate Salamov may have finally won a round in a close one.
Scores were 119-109, 118-109, and 118-110, with this writer 119-109.
WBO Inter-Continental Super Featherweight champion and WBO No. 9 ranked Ruslan Kamilov, 12-0-1 (6), #129 ¾, of Nizhnevartovsk, RUS, stopped southpaw Dmitrii Khasiev, 12-3-2 (6), #129, of Vladikavkaz, RUS, at 0:40 of the sixth after an all-action fight of a 10.
In the first round, Khasiev did well winning the round until a counter right from Kamilov on the chin dropped him for an 8-count in the final seconds of the round. In the second round, Khasiev came out firing punches as Kamilov switched to southpaw and back to orthodox.
Khasiev took the round, chasing Kamilov throughout. In the third round, Khasiev continued chasing Kamilov with a minute left in the round, Kamilov landed a combination to the chin, but Khasiev countered with a left to the chin.
In the fourth round, Kamilov was warned for hitting on the break. Khasiev continued outworking Kamilov, who is on the move, switching stances. In the fifth round, Kamilov continued grabbing Khasiev into clinches. In the final seconds of the round, Kamilov landed a solid left to the chin of Khasiev.
In the sixth round, a vicious left from Kamilov to the ribs dropped Khasiev to his knees, unable to get up as he was counted out.
Super Middleweight Artysh Lopsan, 7-1-1 (4), #167 ¾, of Kyzyl, RUS, defeated Ramil Gadzhyiev, 13-2-1 (8), #166 ½, of Odessa, UKR, over ten competitive rounds.
In the first round, Gadzhyiev rocked the taller Lopsan halfway into the round with a combination to the chin. He continued out, landing Lopsan. In the second and third rounds, Lopsan did more missing than landing, getting countered well by Gadzhyiev. In the fifth round, both fighters landed lefts to the chin at the same time. The rest of the round, it was Gadzhyiev out landing Lopsan.
In the sixth round, it was all Lopsan finally finding the target throughout. In the eighth and ninth rounds, Lopsan had Gadzhyiev hurt. For some reason, the referee took a point from Gadzhyiev. In the tenth and final round, Lopsan continued winning the fight until the last seconds when Gadzhyiev hurt him with a left hook on the chin.
Scores were 98-91 twice and 96-93, which is how this writer had it.
Super Featherweight Shavkatdzhon Rakimov, 16-0-1 (13), #133 ½, of TAJ and Ekaterinburg, RUS, stopped Sardor Muzaffarov, 4-5 (2), #133, of Chinaz, UZB, due to a shoulder injury.
A right from Rakimov on the right shoulder hurt Muzaffoarov, causing a stoppage due to injury.
Featherweight Aznaur Kalsynov, 2-0-3 (0), of Pyt-Yakh, RUS, won a disputed decision over Alisher Shodiev, 3-2-1 (1), of Samargand, UZB, over six action-packed rounds.
In the first round, Kalsynov took it to Shodiev landing heavy punches to both the body and chin. In the second round, it was all Shodiev.
Kalsynov was warned twice of pushing off Shodiev but continued it as his defense against the oncoming Shodiev, who easily took the round.
In the third round, both fighters had their moments in an action round.
Shodiev switched back and forth to southpaw and back. Kalsynov did well with lead rights on the chin. In the fourth round, it was all-action by both fighters. In the fifth round, Shodiev did good bodywork while Kalsynov did as much pushing as he did hitting. He hasn’t been warned since the first round for pushing but has done it the entire fight. In the sixth and final round, Kalsynov landed lead rights throughout while Shodiev worked both the body and head for three minutes of action.
Scores were not announced, just the winner. This writer had the loser in front 58-56.