Queensberry Promotions ran out comprehensive 12-0 winners in the 5v5 challenge against Matchroom, and in the bill-topper in Riyadh, Zhilei Zhang effectively ended Deontay Wilder’s career, scoring a fifth round knockout in their heavyweight meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Both Matchroom’s former WBC world champion Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) and Queensberry’s top contender Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) were both coming off recent losses to Joseph Parker, with the New Zealander thrashing Wilder on the scorecards in December 2023, and Parker taking a majority decision against Zhang in March.
It was a tentative start by both, wary of each others power, and the two finally opened up at the start of the second, with Zhang getting the better of the exchanges.
Wilder looked gun-shy, hardly letting his right hand go, but it was pedestrian stuff from both, and then from nowhere, the fight sprang into life.
The start of round five saw Wilder commit to the right hand, and his first meaningful shot with it stunned Zhang, but the Chinese fighter responded with a show-closer, a right hand span Wilder around, and a follow-up right folded the American to the canvas, and the fight was over.
Dubois demolishes Hrgovic
Daniel Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs) secured the interim IBF heavyweight title, as he got the better of Filip Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs), forcing an eighth round stoppage that secured the bragging rights for Queensberry.
Both men unloaded bombs in the first round, and Hrgovic couldn’t miss with his right hand. Dubois utilised his jab to good effect in the second, and troubled the Croatian, who looked tired and laboured early on.
By the second half of the contest, Hrgovic had cuts over both eyes, and a massive Dubois right hand had him all at sea in the seventh, and as the damage began to take its toll, the referee ordered Hrgovic to get his cuts looked at, and the doctor ruled the fight to be stopped.
Bivol bulldozes Zinad
Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) defended his WBA (Super) and IBO light heavyweight titles, as he stopped Malik Zinad (22-1, 16 KOs) in six rounds. The Libyan based in Malta was a replacement for WBC, IBF and WBO champion Artur Beterbiev, who was forced to withdraw from a meeting for the undisputed title.
Zinad made a bright start, but was then decked by Bivol in the opening round, caught by a three-punch salvo. Zinad boxed well, and acquitted himself well, but Bivol exploded into life in round six, a big left hook starting the beginning of the end.
Sheeraz demolishes Williams
Queensberry captain, Hamzah Sheeraz (20-0, 16 KOs) took four points for his team, retained his WBC Silver middleweight title, and took a final eliminator for the world title, as he stopped Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams (16-1, 11 KOs) in the eleventh round.
After dealing with some rocky early moments, Sheeraz took control, mainly off his jab, and scored a knockdown in round ten with a sweeping right hand.
A round later came the finish, where two heavy lefts followed by a two-fisted attack had Williams reeling towards the ropes, and the referee called a halt.
Ball edges out Ford
Ford then boxed superbly under heavy fire, but the pair exchanged blows all the way to the final bell, and the scores were close as expected at the conclusion. Two judges scored 115-113 for Liverpool’s Ball, while the third scored the same for Ford.
Hutchinson shines against Richards
