NEW YORK CITY — Twenty year old lightweight phenom Devin “The Dream” Haney moved to 23-0, 15KO, retiring previously unbeaten Russian Zaur Abdullaev (11-1, 7KO) in four rounds to capture the WBC Interim LIghtweight Title in the main event of a Matchroom Boxing USA fight card from Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater, streamed live on DAZN.
The Las Vegas-native Haney wasted no time forcing the action and came off his stool, firing sharp, crisp punches that seemed to make Abdullaev uncomfortable. Overwhelmed by Haney’s speed, Abdullaev hardly threw punches the first two rounds, and Haney banked them easily.
In the third, the 25 year-old Russian began to open up a bit, but at a price. Each time Abdullaev tried to launch an offensive attack, Haney made sure to return fire.
Haney continued to control every second of the contest and towards the end of fourth, Haney began to land explosive rights at will. One of those rights may have fractured Abdullaev’s cheekbone, and because of that, his corner threw in the towel between the fourth and fifth round.
It was the second straight win inside the distance for Haney, who is trained by his father, Bill. In Haney’s previous fight he scored a spectacular KO of the Year candidate with his one-punch 7th round knockout of veteran Antonio Moran.
As the WBC interim title holder, Haney is now next in line to face WBC champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, although because of boxing politics, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon.
Amanda Serrano UDs Heather Hardy, Re-Captures WBO Featherweight Title
Seven weight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (37-1-1, 27KO) recaptured the WBO featherweight title she once held and won the Battle of Brooklyn, earning a hard-fought ten round unanimous decision against fellow Brooklynite Heather “The Heat” Hardy (22-1-1, 4KO). Judges cards read 98-91×2 and 98-92 for Serrano.
The fight was almost over before it began, as the 30 year-old southpaw Serrano blitzed Hardy early, catching her clean with a left midway through the first round that buzzed the champ. The ensuing :60 seconds were almost difficult to watch, as Serrano mercilessly let her fists fly, marking up and drawing blood from the defenseless Hardy’s face in the process. Credit the 37 year-old Hardy for hunkering down and grinding it out until the ding of the bell.
In the second and third, Hardy fared better, but Serrano, the more athletic and naturally gifted of the two continued to dominate and have it all her way.
Refusing to relinquish her title without a fight, the resilient Hardy mounted a comeback in the middle and late rounds, as she finally was able to settle in and mount some offense of her own.
But Hardy wasn’t able to sustain any offense for prolonged periods of time, and Serrano’s engine never slowed down.
For Serrano, the win now sets her up for a mega fight against unifight lightweight champion, Katie Taylor.
The result marks Hardy’s first defeat inside the squared circle. Notably, she has ventured out into the world of MMA where she amassed a 2-2 record in four career fights.
Hunter Hands Kuzmin First Loss In Heavyweight Clash
Matchroom Boxing heavyweight Michael “The Bounty” Hunter (18-1, 12KO) scored a fifth round knockdown en route to a wide unanimous decision against Sergey Kuzmin (15-1, 11KO) to capture Kuzmin’s WBA Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title in a twelve round affair. All three judges agreed on a 117-110 card for Hunter.
Hunter, 31, came out for the first round with high-energy and established a pace that he couldn’t maintain. Kuzmin, 32, patient throughout the first — too patient to win the round — began to assert himself in the second round, methodically working his way within range before firing off a few shots and tying up.
The third was fought on even terms up until the closing seconds when Hunter, who is trained by former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, landed a huge overhand right that stopped Kuzmin in his tracks.
Hunter committed to attack Kuzmin’s body in the fourth and early in the fifth, during an exchange, caught Kuzmin with a crisp left hook that sent the big Russian crashing to the canvas. Kuzmin beat Ricky Gonzalez’s ten count and navigated his way through the remainder of the round.
Hunter remained in control of the contest through the sixth, seventh, and much of the eight rounds until Kuzmin stunned Hunter with a combination as the eight round drew to a close.
Kuzmin was never fully able to capitalize on the little momentum he was able to generate and going forward, Hunter had no trouble putting out any fires when the flames arose.
The win extends Hunter’s win streak to six. His only loss remains his unanimous decision defeat against reigning Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Fighter of the Year, Oleksandr Usyk in April 2017, when both fighters were cruiserweights.
After the bout, Hunter called out former WBA world heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin.
Kuzmin’s most notable wins remain his retiring of British veteran David Price and his majority decision victory over Philadelphia little big man Joey Dawejko.
Ford Stays Perfect, Outpoints Castillo
2018 National Golden Gloves Champion Raymond “Savage” Ford pushed his record to 4-0, 1KO, earning a shutout decision (40-36×3) over the Bronx’s Rafael Castillo (1-4) in a four round junior featherweight bout.
The Camden, NJ-native Ford, showcased the skillset that earned him his Golden Gloves title, thoroughly outclassing Castillo over the duration of their twelve minute scrap. At times the southpaw Ford, a Matchroom Boxing prospect, landed shots worthy of knockdowns, but Castillo — who has never been stopped — remained upright from bell to bell.
Bermudez Shines In Debut, Scores KO2 Over Conde
Lightweight Christian “Kike” Bermudez (1-0, 1KO) brought his hometown crowd to their feet in the second of a scheduled four round bout, scoring a one-punch KO of Jonathan Conde (1-3, 1KO).
Bermudez, 23, wasted no time letting his hands fly, twice stunning Conde in the first round. The end came suddenly two-thirds through the second when Bermudez uncorked a jab-straight right-left hook combo that exploded on Conde’s chin and crumpled him to the canvas. The contest was immediately waved off at the 1:56 mark of the round two.
Yeleussinov Blasts Out Hicks Inside One
2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Daniyar “Kazakh Thunder” Yeleussinov (8-0, 4KO) displayed a lethal combination of speed and power to score a first round KO over previously unbeaten Texan Reshard Hicks (12-1-1, 6KO) in a welterweight bout initially slated for ten rounds.
Yeleussinov, a southpaw, stunned Hicks early with a left hand and then immediately blitzed him with a flurry of shots that sent Hicks to the mat. Hicks beat referee Ron Lipton’s ten count, but never fully recovered. Yeleussinov, 28, patiently waited for another opening, and exploded another booming left that stunned Hicks, leaving him defenseless for the definitive blow — another left cross — that sent Hicks to the canvas for good. Referee Ron Lipton called off the contest at the 2:38 mark of the opening round.
Akhmadaliev Stays Perfect, TKOs Soto In 4
Featherweight Murodjon “MJ” Akhmadaliev (7-0, 6KO) needed less than five of a scheduled eight rounds to improve upon his already perfect record, scoring a TKO4 against hard-nosed Colombian Wilner Soto (22-7, 2KO).
Akhmadaliev, a native of Uzbekistan who fights out of Joel Diaz’s gym in Indio, CA, took the fight to his Colombian counterpart, who to his credit, dug in and tried to throw blow for blow with the crafty, hard-hitting southpaw.
Despite a valiant effort from Soto, the 24 year-old Akhmadaliev battered him around the ring, and scored continuously with power punches to the head until referee Eric Dali stepped in to stop the bout at the 1:56 mark of the 4th round.
Ferrer Scores Wide UD Over Fryers
Brooklynite Wesley Ferrer (14-1-1, KO), a Dominican-native, won the battle of junior welterweight New York transplants, outpointing Yonkers’ Larry Fryers (11-2, 4KO), an Irish-native, in an eight round contest. Judges scorecards read 80-72 and 79-72×2.
It was the southpaw Ferrer’s left hand that was the difference maker in the bout. He fed Fryers a steady diet of lefts and the Irishman had no answer for it. When Fryers went on the offensive, Ferrer countered him with a left. When Fryers took a breather, Ferrer peppered him with a left from distance.
It was an impressive performance from “El Bongocera”, who dominated from bell to bell, and has now won two straight since suffering his only defeat to Steven Ortiz last September.
The result marks Fryer’s second career loss. His other defeat came via TKO against Nikolai Buzolin in April of last year.
Maijdov Stops Fountain In 4 In Pro Debut
In his professional debut, former 3x World Amateur Champion and 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Magomedrasul Majidov (1-0, 1KO) rose up off the mat and scored a TKO4 over veteran Ed “Tex Trismigistis” Fountain (12-7, 5KO) .
The first round went according to plan for Majidov as the big man from Azerbaijan cautiously navigated his first three minutes as a paid prizefighter.
The script got flipped early in the second, however, as Fountain caught Majidov with a short, crisp, left hook that dropped the Azerbaijani.
Majidov, who’s trained by John David Jackson, was able to dust himself off and rally the very next round, opening up a nasty cut under Fountain’s right eye. Majidov increased pressure and pace and Fountain faded fast.
Majidov, who recently signed a promotional contract with Matchroom Boxing, continued to batter the tiring and increasingly defenseless Fountain, and at the 2:41 mark of round 4, referee Ron Lipton called a halt to the contest, acting on advice from ringside physician Dr. Nitin Sethi who had climbed up on the ring apron.
Darren “DC3” Cunningham UDs Jonathon Ramos To Open Night
Twenty-two year old super bantamweight prospect Darren “DC3” Cunningham upped his perfect record to 10-0, 5KO, outpointing Mexican journeyman Jonathan “Zurdo” Ramos (18-25-5, 6KO) in a six round affair that kicked off a ten bout card from Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater, the latter portion set to stream live on DAZN. Judges cards read 60-54×2 and 59-55 for Cunningham, a St. Louis native, now living and fighting out of Las Vegas, NV where he trains alongside tonight’s headliner, Devin Haney.
The night of fights will commence with a triple-header beginning live at 9pm ET, anchored by a 12 round contest between 20 year-old phenom Haney (22-0, 14KO) and undefeated Russian Zaur Abdullaev (11-0, 7KO) for the WBC interim lightweight title.
