Bakhram Murtazaliev vs Tim Tszyu – Results & Post-Fight Report

Bakhram Murtazaliev defended his IBF super welterweight title in some style at Caribe Royale in Orlando, as he demolished former world champion Tim Tszyu for a third round stoppage win in his maiden defence.

Murtazaliev (23-0, KO17) won the vacant title in Germany in April, some 16 months after his last contest, against Jack Culcay, as he scored a penultimate round knockout win, while Tszyu (24-2, KO17) had previously served as WBO champion, but he lost that belt attempting to add the WBC crown in March against Sebastian Fundora, losing by split decision.

Tszyu was punished in this one for being susceptible to the counter, and the second round saw Murtazaliev execute to perfection, as he timed Tszyu’s attacks to score a heavy knockdown with a counter left hook. With the Aussie on unsteady legs on the resumption, he was over again from another left hand from the champion, and with Tszyu trying to fight fire with fire after beating the count again, Murtazaliev wobbled him with a raking left hand, and an accumulation of punches had Tszyu on the deck for a third time. The minute break between rounds was to no avail, as Tszyu again made the same mistakes in round three, and as he went on the attack with Murtazaliev on the ropes, the Russian again unleashed a counter left hook, and Tszyu was dropped heavily.

He again beat the count, but this time there was no respite, as he groggily tried to defend himself under heavy fire, and eventually Tszyu’s corner had seen enough, and threw the towel in.

In an absolute war on the undercard, unbeaten Australian middleweight Cesar Mateo Tapia (17-0-1, KO10) and Endry Saavedra (16-1-1, KO13) couldn’t be separated, as they fought to a dramatic majority draw for the vacant IBF International title. Tapia was down twice in the third round, and once in round nine, but scored a knockdown himself in the fifth, and one judge had him a 94-92 winner, but two scores at 93-93 ensured the contest was a stalemate.

In the other ten rounder on the bill, super welterweight starlet Yoenis Tellez (9-0, KO7) impressed again, stopping Johan Gonzalez (35-4, KO34) in seven rounds.

Cuban heavyweight hope Dainier Pero (9-0, KO7) took out Willie Jake Jr (11-6-2, KO3) in the third of their scheduled eight rounder, and Justin Viloria (7-0, KO5) took a seventh round win against Diuhl Olguin (16-41-7, KO10) in their super featherweight meeting.

At super bantamweight, Carlos Jackson (20-2, KO13) was upset by Ryan Lee Allen (11-8-1, KO6), as Allen scored a third round stoppage, and Daniel Blancas (11-0, KO5) took a points win at super middleweight over six against Marco Delgado (7-6-1, KO5).

Gary Antonio Russell (20-1, KO13) returned to the ring for the first time since October 2022, and he won via fourth round stoppage against Jaden Burnias (6-3-2, KO4) at super bantamweight.