There was a sense of curiosity surrounding Murat Gassiev and Kubrat Pulev as they shared the ring in Dubai, with questions about how the styles would mesh and whether patience or experience would decide the night.
Eventually, Murat Gassiev stopped Kubrat Pulev in the sixth round with a single, perfectly timed left hook that ended the fight at 0:56 of the round. Pulev had success early, controlling distance with his jab and keeping Gassiev at range through the opening rounds. Gassiev stayed patient, absorbing the rhythm and waiting for his moment. That moment began to appear in the fourth, when Gassiev started closing the distance and landing sharper combinations near the ropes. By the sixth, Pulev threw first, Gassiev countered clean, and the left hook landed flush, sending Pulev flat on his back. Referee Rafael Ramos completed the count as the bout came to an abrupt end.
The co-feature delivered controversy as Maxi Hughes and Bakhodur Usmonov went the distance in a tightly contested fight. Hughes appeared to control the early rounds with body work and timing, while Usmonov increased pressure and volume as the fight progressed. The middle rounds swung momentum, and the final two rounds proved decisive on the scorecards. Usmonov was awarded a majority decision, a verdict that immediately sparked debate among observers who felt Hughes had done enough in the first half.
Earlier on the card, Madim Musaev made a statement by stopping IBO welterweight champion Tulani Mbengi in the third round after scoring two knockdowns with left hands. Khariton Agrba dominated Ruben Munoz over twelve rounds in a lopsided rematch, avenging a previous defeat with a controlled and disciplined performance. Daud Alaev forced Dave Penalosa’s corner to halt their fight after six rounds of sustained pressure, while Artem Suslenkov remained unbeaten with a sixth-round heavyweight knockout of Stanley Wright. In women’s action, Estelle Mossely edged Ellen Simwaka over eight competitive rounds, and Nico Ali Walsh rebounded from a slow start to earn a unanimous decision against Jeremiah Sserwadda.
Image Credit: Sky Sports