Albert Ramirez Retains WBA Interim Title In Split Decision Over Lerrone Richards

Ramirez survived a difficult challenge in Montreal, while Imam Khataev bounced back from a knockdown to score a first-round stoppage

Albert Ramirez (23-0) retained the WBA interim light heavyweight title Thursday night, earning a split-decision victory over Lerrone Richards in the main event at Montreal Casino. Richards closed strongly and won one scorecard 116-112, but Ramirez secured the decision with matching 115-113 scores from the other two judges.

The WBA interim light heavyweight titleholder was pushed hard by the slick southpaw Richards in a tactical contest that featured frequent clinches and several closely contested rounds.

Ramirez started well, landing some of the cleaner punches in the opening rounds, while Richards found success with sharp counters as the fight progressed. The middle rounds were difficult to score, with neither man able to establish sustained control.

Richards enjoyed one of his strongest moments in the eleventh round and finished the fight well, but Ramirez’s work throughout the contest proved enough to sway two of the three judges.

In the co-feature, 2021 Olympic bronze medalist Imam Khataev scored a dramatic first-round stoppage over Mickael Diallo. Khataev was dropped midway through the opening round but quickly recovered, returning fire to score two knockdowns of his own before Diallo’s corner halted the bout at the end of the round.

Dzmitry Asanau continued his rise in the lightweight division with a sixth-round stoppage of former world champion Roger Gutierrez. After controlling much of the fight, Asanau dropped Gutierrez with a body shot before finishing the contest moments later with a right uppercut.

Canadian lightweight prospect Avery Martin-Duval remained unbeaten with a dominant unanimous decision over Jose Macias. Martin-Duval controlled the action behind accurate combinations and strong counterpunching, earning 100-90 scores from all three judges.

Jhon Orobio captured the vacant WBA super lightweight title with a fourth-round stoppage of Jonathan Montrel. Orobio dominated from the opening bell and scored three knockdowns, including two from body shots, before the referee stepped in.

Olympic bronze medalist Wyatt Sanford improved to 7-0 with a second-round stoppage of Juan Pablo Ilharregui. Sanford’s jab set the tone before a sustained attack forced the referee to halt the contest late in the second round.

Also on the card, Kevin Beausejour recorded a first-round knockout of Davorin Brajkovic, while Nickenson Denis picked up his first professional victory with a second-round stoppage of Lukasz Kucharski.