By Eric Armit
HIGHLIGHTS from the previous week of motion
Oleksandr Usyk floored (spherical 9) and gained a cut up determination over Tyson Fury to unify the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO titles to turn into undisputed heavyweight champion.
Australian Jai Opetaia scored a unanimous factors victory over Mairis Briedis for the vacant IBF cruiserweight title.
IBO super-featherweight champion Anthony Cacace stopped IBF champion Joe Cordina to unify the titles.
Denys Berinchyk gained a unanimous determination in opposition to Emanuel Navarrete for the vacant WBO light-weight title.
Brian Norman floored Giovani Santillan twice to win the interim WBO welterweight title.
German heavyweight Agit Kabayel stopped unbeaten Frank Sanchez.
Robin Sirwan Safar floored and outpointed former light-heavyweight titleholder Sergey Kovalev.
Also, in Saudi Arabia, there have been wins for Mark Chamberlain, Moses Itauma and Isaac Lowe.
Richard Torrez, Emiliano Vargas, Alan Garcia, and Jonathan Lopez gained on the San Diego present.
Jin Sasaki halted Joe Noynay for the OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific titles.
Karen Chukhadzhian scored a factors win over Harry Scarff of their IBF welterweight eliminator.
Flavius Biea and Ronald Gavril scored wins in Romania.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – MAY 18: Tyson Fury punches Oleksandr Usyk throughout the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO and Undisputed Heavyweight titles’ battle between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at Kingdom Arena on May 18, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
Who gained the week?
Most important: Usyk’s win over Fury was for the heavyweight and undisputed championship! Say no extra.
Most entertaining: Usyk vs. Fury not solely lived as much as however in all probability exceeded expectations.
Fighter of the week: Usyk for his historic victory. Honourable point out to Fury for his half in the nice battle.
Punch of the week: The Usyk proper that shook Fury so badly in the ninth was a thunderbolt. Additionally, the uppercut from Brian Norman that completed Giovani Santillan and the shot from Mark Chamberlain that despatched Joseph Wahab down for the first time.
Upset of the week: Brian Norman didn’t seem like a hazard to WBO No. 1 Santillan getting in.
Prospect watch: New Zealand cruiserweight David Nyika, 9-0, is one to look at.
Fight card observations
Rosette: Usyk and Fury for rising to the event.
Red Card: In advance to the IBF, who it’s anticipated, will quickly strip Usyk of their title for not preventing the necessary challenger Filip Hrgovic.
One lengthy unbeaten run needed to go. As far as I do know the final time Usyk misplaced a battle was means again in 2009 when he was outpointed by Egor Mekhontsev in the semi-finals of the World Championships and Fury in 2007 by Maxim Babanin in the last at the European Youth Championships – however I (Eric) could possibly be improper!
What an excellent evening for Ukraine. Usyk gained the heavyweight title, Berinchyk gained the WBO light-weight title, light-heavyweight Daniel Papin scored a first-round KO and welterweight Karen Chukhadzhian gained an IBF eliminator (on Friday evening).
May 18
Agit Kabayel slayed Frank Sanchez to the body
Kabayel battered the Cuban hope to defeat in seven rounds. Sanchez was already tiring by the fifth and throwing simply single sweeping punches and spending most of the time in opposition to the ropes with Kabayel teeing off on him with left hooks to the body and overhand rights.
Sanchez supplied little or no in return while Kabayel bombarded him with punches. The seventh was extra of the identical till a few body photographs noticed Sanchez drop to his haunches, not truly down however given a rely. He stood up at seven, then dropped once more from a left jab to the body and was counted out. Kabayel pushed himself into the heavyweight combine in an enormous means.
Mark Chamberlain cashed out the Wealth Machine
Southpaw Chamberlain blew away Joshua “Wealth Machine” Wahab in the first spherical. Chamberlain instantly took management, firing sturdy proper jabs with Wahab trying to duck inside. Late in the spherical, Chamberlain adopted his jab with a thunderous straight left that floored Wahab. Wahab made it to his ft and after the eight rely, Chamberlain landed a left that drove Wahab right into a nook, crashing to the ground on his aspect. The referee waved the battle over with Wahab needing some medical consideration earlier than absolutely recovering.
Heavyweight hope Richard Torrez Jr stepped up in opposition to Brandon Moore
Over in San Diego, Torrez beat Moore in 5 rounds. Torrez was his regular ultra-aggressive self. Moore tried to field behind his southpaw jabs however lacked the punch to stem Torrez’s swarming assaults. Moore was having an excellent spell in the fifth however as he threw a proper, a left hook from Torrez despatched him careering throughout the ring.
Torrez adopted Moore and then unleashed a barrage of punches that dropped him. Moore solely simply beat the rely and was stumbling and dazed below a fierce assault when the referee got here in to finish the battle.
Lee McGregor made gentle work of Moya
Former British, European, and Commonwealth champion McGregor made a profitable return, stopping younger Colombian Jorge Moya in the second spherical.
McGregor confirmed no signal of rust as he put Moya down with a body punch in the second. Moya made it to his ft however was in no situation to proceed.
Lee McGregor (Warren Little/Getty Images)
No complaints, as Karen beats Scarff
Karen Chukhadzhian outpointed Harry Scarff in an IBF eliminator. Scarff made an excellent begin switching guards, placing Chukhadzhian below strain. Chukhadzhian used pace and ability to outbox Scarff, who made his strain inform over the fourth, fifth and sixth. Chukhadzhian threw loads of body photographs and handled a reduce.
Chukhadzhian had that bit extra left in the tank and he staged the stronger end to emerge the winner on scores of 116-112 on the playing cards of every of the three judges. So many rounds had been shut that it might have been known as the different means with no grounds for grievance.
MAY 18
“Shortdog” provides brief shrift to Oquendo problem
Jordan White blasted out former title challenger Jonathan Oquendo-Arnaldi in the first spherical. As the smaller Oquendo piled ahead, White caught him with a left hook that despatched him down. Oquendo received up however was rocked by one other left hook and was taking punishment in opposition to the ropes when the referee stopped the battle.
Now 13 wins in a row for White. Oquendo, 40, had photographs at the WBA feather and WBO super-featherweight belts, however this was solely his second battle in virtually 4 years.
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