Chris Billam-Smith Stops Rozicki In Cruiserweight Brawl

The latest installment of the Zuffa Boxing series saw the new promotion leave the confines of the Meta Apex, a venue that the promotion under the TKO Group banner has established as its home base, and staged its first international event at the Bournemouth International Centre in Bournemouth, England where former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith squared off against top Cruiserweight contender Ryan Rozicki in an encounter that was highly anticipated due to both fighters having fan-friendly styles. Although there are times where for whatever reason, what appears to be an intriguing battle on paper does not materialize once two fighters enter the ring to do battle, this was not one of them. 

In this case, you had two fighters who not only had demonstrated a willingness to get in and mix it up with their previous opposition, but they showed no reluctance to engage with each other, despite being well aware of the other's reputation as having punching power and being more than willing to trade punch for punch. Often, regardless of where a fight occurs in terms of division, those are the best types of fights one can observe. This was one that would not disappoint.

There was no feeling out process here in this fight as both Billam-Smith and Rozicki established what can only be described as a high or suffocating pace where neither fighter had much room to breathe as the action was fought in close seemingly from the opening seconds of the bout. It was a pace that seemed largely initiated by Rozicki, but it was one where he appeared overly aggressive as he was warned for headbutting Billam-Smith in the opening round, something that would lead to a point deduction in round two when Rozicki was admonished for headbutting for a second time, and was cut over the left eye from punches thrown by Billam-Smith in response to such aggression in the first round. 

Whether the instances of Rozicki headbutting were a case of intentional illegal tactics or merely a fighter in the midst of his aggression, allowing that aggression to take over where he has a mental lapse, is a subject to debate at a later time, but the pace he largely initiated made it clear early that this was a fight that was not likely to go the distance. To borrow a quote from the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard who uttered “There's Been No Boxing At All, Just Fighting Here,” as he served in the capacity of an expert commentator for the now defunct HBO Sports during a delayed broadcast of the legendary World Middleweight championship fight between the late great champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns in April 1985, such a quote could easily be used to describe this battle though obviously not as a direct comparison.

Just as the pace began to slow ever slightly in round three, as Rozicki continued to plot forward, Billam-Smith landed a perfectly timed straight right hand that frankly, would have ended the night for most fighters, that landed flush on the jaw of Rozicki. Somehow, miraculously, Rozicki was able to stay on his feet, albeit legitimately staggered, and kept coming forward. 

As fatigue naturally began to show itself and the pace even by the slightest of margins slowed, the fight continued to be fought largely on the inside, and the two fighters continued to exchange heavy shots in close range. Rozicki’s granite chin would once again be on display in round six as Billam-Smith unleashed a brutal barrage of hooks to the head with both hands that landed flush, yet somehow to the astonishment of this observer, Rozicki managed to stay on his feet. The grueling battle between two warriors continued into the seventh round and Billam-Smith capped off what proved to be the climatic final blows, a combination of hooks to the head in the final seconds of the round. It was at the conclusion of round seven that Rozicki’s corner made the decision to stop the fight bringing an end to what will likely be a Fight of the Year candidate when 2026 has concluded.

In terms of what comes next, we are in an interesting time in the sport where Zuffa as a promotion appears intent on naming their own world  championships under a proposed Unified Boxing Organization format, which would in theory bring the model of the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to the sport of Boxing. It remains unclear as to whether the promotion will also do business under Boxing’s existing structure, meaning with independent sanctioning organizations. With regard to the Cruiserweight division, the recent bout between Jai Opetaia, the IBF World Cruiserweight champion and top contender Brandon Glanton, originally thought to be for the IBF world championship, was changed in the prelude to that fight as the IBF stripped Opetaia, who also holds recognition as World Cruiserweight champion recognized by Ring Magazine due to their claim that they were not contacted by Zuffa and thus refused to sanction the fight for its version of the World Cruiserweight championship. As most know, Opetaia defeated Glanton via twelve round unanimous decision for the newly created Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight championship.

What makes this noteworthy is both Billam-Smith and Opetaia are now competing under the Zuffa Boxing banner and it would appear that the plan from a Zuffa perspective would be to match Opetaia and Billam-Smith against each other in a theoretically more streamlined way as compared to the conventional structure of professional Boxing in what would obviously be used to point out the benefit of the proposed Unified Boxing Organization format.

While it remains to be seen if such a format as well as proposed changes to existing legislation under the Muhammad Ali Act ultimately proves to be beneficial for the sport long-term. If fights like this, however, are put together more quickly while public interest is high, regardless of the broader implications for the sport long-term, it should be viewed as a positive. 

“And That's The Boxing Truth." 

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Ramirez-Richards Thoughts

In the aftermath of the return of unified World Light-Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, two of the top contenders in the division, Albert Ramirez and Lerrone Richards met on June 4th at Casino Montreal in Montreal, Canada in a fight that would determine Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s Light-Heavyweight ratings, a designation held by the unbeaten Ramirez. More importantly, however, was the opportunity to attempt to move into the short list of potential opponents for Bivol in the not too distant future. Even as the champion for all intents and purposes seems to be heading towards a third bout with former Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight champion Artur Betwebiev, an impressive performance by either Ramirez or Richards would obviously create buzz for the victor as a potential future opponent either for Bivol or Beterbiev, assuming that anticipated third encounter is indeed in the immediate plans.

While the latter potential third chapter in the rivalry between Bivol and Beterbiev will obviously continue to dominate the focus of the division until it either takes place or one or both fighters choose to move in different directions, this fight was nevertheless an interesting clash of styles between a fighter known for his punching power in Ramirez going against a pure boxer in Richards. A contrast that seemed to play itself out immediately as Richards established distance between himself and Ramirez. Boxing behind a consistent jab and approaching his opponent at angles, Richards set the tempo of combat. Ramirez would have success periodically landing lunging blows, he found a difficult puzzle to solve as Richards seemed to outwork him throughout most of the fight. 

Although this encounter did not have much in the way of highlights, the consistent, workmanlike approach of Richards along with his ability to avoid having the ring cut off from him and his consistently being first with his offense, this observer felt was the story of the fight. By all impressions both with what was occurring in the ring with each passing round, as well as the body language of the two fighters, I felt that I had viewed a contest that would be scored lopsidedly in favor of Richards at the conclusion of the scheduled twelve round bout. It really did seem to be formulaic and a disciplined performance by Richards, even if it may not have been the most entertaining fight to watch for some. 

As sometimes occurs in the sport of Boxing, however, visual impressions in regard to what one sees with their eyes as well as consensus opinion as to who won a fight can differ significantly from those who have the responsibility of scoring it, the three official judges. Despite the view of this observer of a fairly wide victory in favor of Richards, the outcome would prove to be controversial as it would be Albert Ramirez, who would emerge victorious via twelve round majority decision. This certainly will not rank in the history of Boxing as an all-time classic, nor will it likely go down as the most controversial of controversial decisions ever recorded.

It could, however, possibly be used as a case study in how even though a fighter known as a pure boxer can at times find themselves on the losing end of a decision that by all accounts they seemed to have dominated. Perhaps in this case, the judges scored in favor of Ramirez based on his coming forward consistently and thus leaving an impression of his being the aggressor. It can be difficult sometimes to distinguish between mere aggression and what is often referred to as “Effective Aggression” where the aggressor is the one dictating the fight. This can also create a scenario where a fighter who puts more emphasis on the elements of technique and accuracy, does not always get the nod of the judges who might prefer aggression in their criteria of scoring based on clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense.

Unfortunately for Lerrone Richards, this decision went against him and though in the era we all live in where it often is too easy for one to call a decision corrupt, whether there is legitimate evidence to support such claims or not, the silver lining here for Richards is he will come out of this fight looking better in defeat than Ramirez will as the winner. Whether or not that will move Richards closer to an opportunity to fight for a world title on the perception of an impressive performance that he simply did not get credit for is something that obviously cannot be said at the present moment, but this observer has been around long enough and has covered the sport long enough over three decades to be in a position to say that I have seen stranger things happen and though the obvious approach for Richards will be to try and get a rematch with Ramirez, which he deserves, it would not surprise me if Richards finds himself catapulted into a potential shot at a world title down the line.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

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Mini Preview: Ramirez-Richards

On Thursday June 4th, the Casino Montreal in Montreal Canada will play host to an interesting bout with potential world title implications in Boxing’s 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Top contenders Albert Ramirez and Lerrone Richards will meet in a twelve round bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

This will pit the unbeaten Ramirez (22-0, with 19 Knockouts) against the number six rated WBA Light-Heavyweight contender Richards (19-1, with 4 Knockouts) in an encounter where Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s Light-Heavyweight ratings, a designation currently held by Ramirez, will be at stake. Although such designations often amount to Boxing’s version of window dressing, this is still a fight  between two top contenders in the Light-Heavyweight division where one fighter, Ramirez, is in position to challenge for a world championship, which in regard to the WBA, is  currently held by the recently returned Dmitry Bivol.

As some recall, Bivol, the current unified WBA/IBF/WBO world champion, who also holds recognition by Ring Magazine as World Light-year weight champion, returned to action one week ago at the time of this writing, following a one year absence due to recovering from a severe back injury, which required surgery. In that outing, the champion dominated a very “Game,” but outclassed IBF number one contender Michael Eifert over twelve rounds to retain his unified crown. While by all accounts, Bivol appears to be by all accounts heading towards a third bout with former Undisputed Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev, a fight like this does offer a chance for the participants to maneuver into position either to face either fighter if a third encounter between the two is not in the immediate future, or to be in position to challenge the winner of that fight if it indeed happens.

As far as what this fight might look like inside the ring, this is a classic scenario of a puncher in Ramirez, who has a near 87% career knockout percentage, going against more of a pure boxer in Richards. Richards has only four knockouts in twenty professional fights. In his one career setback two years ago, Richards was stopped in six rounds by Steed Woodall. He has, however, rebounded to win his one bout since, in scoring a six round decision over Dylan Courtney in September of last year.  Though he is ranked in the top ten of the WBA Light-Heavyweight ratings, some may question whether Richards is ready for what is likely viewed as a step up in class. On the flip side of the equation, Ramirez has stopped his last four opponents inside the distance.

Conventional wisdom suggests that if Richards is to be successful in this fight, he must use his range boxing out of a southpaw stance to try and establish an elusive target. The obvious question here will not only be can he do so, but more specifically, do it for all twelve rounds because Ramirez’ fight plan will likely center on trying to cut off the ring, limit Richards’ ability to move, and try to systematically break him down with the theoretically harder punches as the fight progresses.

While not necessarily for a world championship unless the political elements of the sport ends up dictating for one reason or another that the winner of this fight will be named champion in the event Bivol is somehow stripped of or chooses to relinquish the WBA world championship down the line, this is still an opportunity for one fighter to maintain his position as a mandatory challenger and for the other, a chance to move into the upper echelon of the division where there will likely be no shortage of opportunities for lucrative bouts both inside and out of the WBA rankings.

“And That's The Boxing Truth.”

Ramirez vs. Richards takes place on Thursday, June 4th at Casino Montreal in Montreal, Canada. The fight as well as its full  undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT. 

(*North American Start Times Only*) (*Card and Start Time Subject To Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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Bivol Outclasses Eifert

The ingredients for a triumphant return to the ring from back surgery after over a year out of the ring were in place when unified Light-Heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol got back into the ring to defend his IBF/WBA/IBO crown as well as recognition from Ring Magazine as Light-Heavyweight world champion to face number one IBF contender Michael Eifert on May 30th at the UMMC Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Although this observer does not personally like to use the term “Comeback Fight" due to it being dismissive of the opponent of the fighter that is making the " Comeback,” particularly when in this case, ot a world championship bout and Eifert was the IBF’s number one contender, perception did indeed become reality.

Before what looked to be a sell out crowd, Bivol quickly showed that he did not miss a step after being out of action for more than a year to address a lingering back injury, which required surgery. From the opening bell, the two-time World Light-Heavyweight champion seized command of the fight.

Bivol scored a knockdown of Eifert in the first round with a perfectly timed left hook to the head that sent the lunging challenger down to the canvas. While in recent years Dmity Bivol had developed a reputation as a master boxer of the highest caliber, this fight gave an early impression that this might have been a return to the “Knockout Artist” reputation that the champion had developed several years ago.

This was due to not only the fact that Bivol scored a knockdown of his opponent early in the contest, but specifically because Bivol essentially landed whenever he wanted and it became clear early that though Eifert was very “Game," he did not have the skillset or punching power that could turn the fight suddenly in his favor. To word things differently, there are levels in combat sports not just in regard to weight classes, but in terms of caliber of opponent. In this case, Michael Eifert was outclassed by a master of the craft of Boxing and took a too steep step up in caliber of opposition, as Bivol dominated every round and Eifert had trouble landing anything significant on the champion. Although the contest was decided early, to his credit, Michael Eifert made it to the final bell in going twelve rounds with the future Hall of Famer Bivol, who retained his unified world championship via unanimous decision. 

If there is a criticism here for a world champion coming off a long layoff due to injury and putting forth a near flawless performance, it could be that Bivol did not force the issue to where he may have been able to get a knockout. Whether one chooses to criticize him for that, perhaps the goal here beyond fulfilling his commitment to face a mandatory challenger as far as the IBF is concerned in this go around of mandatory title defenses that all world champions must fulfill annually, was to get some rounds in and work off the ring rust as well. After all, it is not an enjoyable experience rehabilitating from any injury and in this case, going the distance may have been more beneficial for Bivol in the long-term than if he had scored a quick knockout, though the latter would have obviously been more attention-grabbing.

In terms of what's next,  most would say a third encounter with Artur Beterbiev, who is the only fighter to defeat Bivol and vice versa would seem to be the most logical option given they split two fights between them. Obviously, from a business standpoint as well as a financial one, it would seem to make the most sense, but given Bivol holds three world titles in the Light-Heavyweight division currently, it will be interesting if he opts to do another mandatory defense before a third fight with Beterbiev takes place. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Han Defeats Holm In Rematch: MVPW-03 Results From El Paso, TX

Credit: Cooper Neill/Most Valuable Promotions

Press Release: May 31, 2026 By Most Valuable Promotions-  EL PASO, TEXAS – MAY 30, 2026 – Tonight at the El Paso County Coliseum in her hometown of El Paso, TX, live on ESPN, Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) WBA lightweight world champion Stephanie Han (14-0, 3 KOs) successfully defended her world title and preserved her undefeated record with a razor-thin majority decision victory (95-95, 96-94 x2) over Albuquerque, NM native and the greatest two-sport athlete of all time, Holly Holm (34-4-3, 9 KOs), in the highly anticipated main event of MVPW-03. 

In a fiercely competitive rematch over ten three-minute rounds at 135 lbs, Han opened strongly, stunning Holm in the second round and building an early lead with sharp left and right hands while fighting through a cut beneath her eye. Holm adjusted well in the middle rounds, increasing her output and becoming the aggressor behind steady combination punching and movement. She outworked Han over stretches of the fight, ultimately outlanding her 107-70 in total punches while throwing 437 punches to Han’s 358. Despite Holm’s late pressure and higher output, Han’s fast start and control of key early exchanges proved enough to edge the close rounds on the scorecards, earning a majority decision victory and another successful title defense.

MVPW-03 also marked a historic milestone for women’s boxing, drawing more than 7,000 fans and surpassing every previous combat sports gate in the storied history of the El Paso County Coliseum to become the venue’s highest-grossing combat sports event of all time. The event streamed live on ESPN and the ESPN App.

In a historic moment for women’s boxing, MVP’s unified featherweight world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (49-4-1, 32 KOs) delivered another career-defining performance in the double main event, stopping mandatory challenger Cheyenne “Pepper” Hanson (17-3, 13 KOs) with a ferocious second-round TKO to retain her WBA, WBO, and Ring Magazine featherweight world titles at 126lbs. After a measured opening round contested under equal rules with three-minute rounds, Serrano found her rhythm and overwhelmed Hanson with a relentless barrage of combinations, trapping the challenger in the corner and forcing referee Robert Hoyle to halt the contest at 2:25 of round two. Serrano landed an astonishing 55% of her punches throughout the bout and, with the victory, tied Christy Martin’s all-time women’s boxing KO record with 32 career KOs while further defining her legacy as one of the greatest fighters in the sport’s history.

Also on the main card, MVP’s unified IBF and WBO middleweight world champion Desley Robinson (12-3, 4 KOs) of Logan City, Australia, successfully defended her world titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory (100-90 x2, 99-91) over former world champion Mary Spencer (10-4, 6 KOs) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Robinson established control early, hurting Spencer late in the opening round before consistently landing the cleaner, harder combinations throughout the 10-round championship bout at 160 lbs. Spencer showed her veteran toughness and attempted to disrupt Robinson’s rhythm, but Robinson’s superior pressure proved decisive, further cementing her place atop the middleweight division. Robinson’s performance earned her MVP’s Performance of the Night Bonus of $20,000.

Opening the main card, Mexico’s WBC junior flyweight world champion Lourdes Juarez (40-4, 5 KOs) successfully defended her WBC junior flyweight world title with a hard-fought split decision victory (95-94, 94-95, 98-91) over MVP’s three-division champion Yokasta Valle (34-4, 10 KOs) in a 10-round bout at 108 lbs. The bout featured closely contested opening rounds before Juarez began to separate herself with cleaner, sharper punching, including badly wobbling Valle in the second round. The action intensified in the tenth round when an accidental head clash left Valle cut near her eye, before Juarez punctuated her performance by dropping the Costa Rican star in the closing moments of the fight, proving why she remains one of the division's elite champions. 

In the preliminary card headliner, MVP’s and Mexico’s #4 WBC, #6 WBO, and #6 WBA contender Yesica Nery Plata (31-3, 3 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico delivered a composed and technical performance to earn a unanimous decision victory (78-74, 79-73 x2) over Coachella, California's Brook Sibrian (8-6, 3 KOs) in their eight-round light flyweight bout at 108 lbs. Plata controlled the action with her trademark pressure and sharp combinations, consistently outlanding Sibrian and dictating the pace across all eight rounds. Sibrian pressed forward throughout and invested in the body early, but Plata’s sharper combinations and accurate counters off the back foot carried the rounds and proved to be the difference to secure her the win.

MVP’s Miranda Reyes (9-3-1, 3 KOs) thrilled the hometown El Paso crowd with a standout performance vs. Italy’s Camilla Panatta (8-4-1, 1 KO) in an eight-round super featherweight bout at 130 lbs. Reyes took command early, dropping Panatta with a clean right hand in the second round before showcasing sharp combinations and punishing body work throughout the contest. Panatta pressed the action and displayed tremendous toughness over eight competitive rounds, but Reyes’ cleaner, more effective offense ultimately secured a unanimous decision win (79-72, 77-74 x2). 

Also on the card, MVP’s two-time U.S. national amateur champion and rising prospect Alexander “The Alley Cat” Gueche (12-0, 7 KOs) of Long Beach, California, remained undefeated with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over San Antonio’s Joshua Montoya (7-5-2) in an eight-round junior featherweight bout at 122 lbs. In a closely contested matchup, Montoya’s speed and high-volume offense kept the action competitive throughout, but Gueche’s relentless pressure and sharper power punches proved to be the difference as he secured an unanimous decision win (77-75, 78-74 x2) over Montoya, further cementing his status as one of boxing’s brightest young prospects.

Additionally, WBA #3 and WBC #5 contender Nazarena Romero (15-1-2, 8 KOs), delivered a polished and technical performance against Maria Salinas (27-15-6, 7 KOs), earning a dominant unanimous decision victory (80-72 x3) in their 8-round junior featherweight bout at 122 lbs. Opening the card, MVP’s undefeated prospect Elise Soto (11-0, 9 KOs) passed the toughest test of her young career, using relentless pressure and a punishing body attack to earn a hard-fought unanimous decision victory (39-37 x3) over Thalia Joseline Limon (4-2, 3 KOs) in their four-round featherweight bout at 126 lbs.

For more information, follow on X via @MostVPromotions or on Instagram via @MostValuablePromotions.

About MVP

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) was founded in August 2021 by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian with a fighter-first ethos. Since its inception, MVP has produced 30 live boxing events, currently promotes nearly 60 fighters, 16 world champions, and 26 top contenders.

MVP has led boxing’s evolution in the streaming era through partnerships with the world’s leading platforms. In November 2024, MVP’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 2 was the first-ever live professional sports event streamed on Netflix. Paul vs. Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-streamed sporting event of all time with 125 million live viewers worldwide. MVP went on to partner with Netflix twice in 2025 for MVP’s Taylor vs. Serrano 3 and Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day.

Today, MVP is the global home of women’s boxing. MVP’s Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano in 2022 was the first female fight to headline Madison Square Garden, while Taylor vs. Serrano 2 in 2024 saw 74 million viewers globally on Netflix and became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history with 47 million AMA in the US. Their 2025 trilogy on Netflix topped an all-women’s megacard that set the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most world championship belts ever contested on a single fight card, male or female, with 17 world titles, earning nearly 6 million viewers globally. 

Material Courtesy of: Most Valuable Promotions/Photo Courtesy of: Cooper Neill/Most Valuable Promotions Used with permission.

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Thunderdome 54 Results: Bazley Shines With Stunning TKO Victory

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing 

Press Release: May 30, 2026 By Dragon Fire Boxing Last Night,(May 29th) DragonFire Promotions held their second event of the year in what proved to be an explosive night of boxing action.

In the main event, Michael Bazley defeated Ryan Williams to capture the WA State Heavyweight Championship in what was a blockbuster showdown. 

The card also saw rising prospects Owen Corrigan and Tanaka Saburi claim championship glory in impressive fashion.

Michael Bazley Wins State Championship in Devastating Fashion

Credit: Mike O'Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing 

In the headline bout of the evening, “Big Bad” Michael Bazley defeated Ryan Williams to become the new WA State Heavyweight Champion.

Since making his professional debut, Bazley has quickly made a name for himself on the Perth boxing scene with a string of destructive knockout victories. 

Those performances earned him his biggest opportunity yet, a fight for the state title against the experienced Ryan Williams.

The matchup was expected to be Bazley’s toughest test to date, but it was passed with flying colours after he secured a crushing second round TKO victory.

Williams started the fight aggressively, pressing forward early and backing his much taller opponent onto the ropes. Bazley responded well by landing a sharp punch that opened a cut above Williams’ left eye.

The fight dramatically shifted in the second round. As Williams continued to apply pressure, Bazley caught him with a perfectly timed right hand that sent him crashing to the canvas.

Williams beat the count and bravely continued to push forward, but the momentum had clearly swung in Bazley’s favour as he began landing the cleaner and heavier punches.

In the final minute of the round, Williams was caught by another barrage of shots before a flush left hook dropped him for the second time.

Although the veteran managed to get back to his feet, his corner threw in the towel moments later, giving Bazley the stoppage win along with the WA State Heavyweight Title.

The championship victory further highlights Bazley’s rapid progression in the sport since debuting less than a year ago.

Following the fight, Ryan Williams confirmed his retirement from boxing after previous speculation surrounding his future.

Owen Corrigan Defeats Micah Rivetti Again to Remain Undefeated

Earlier in the card, Ireland’s Owen Corrigan defeated Micah Rivetti to capture the ANBF Australasian Light Heavyweight Championship.

The two men first met back in March, when Corrigan earned a hard-fought split decision victory. 

Ahead of the rematch, Corrigan relocated to the East Coast to train under renowned coach Angelo Hyder. The move paid dividends as the Irishman delivered a dominant performance to secure his second professional title.

The fight began at a high pace, with both men looking to make an early statement. Rivetti attempted to close the distance, swinging aggressively in an effort to get inside.

Corrigan remained composed and found success with his timing and accuracy. In the second round, he landed a perfectly timed right cross that dropped The Aussie to the canvas.

Rivetti was able to answer the count but the gap in class started to show, as the undefeated Irishman completely took over the fight and relentlessly hunted the finish.

Corrigan controlled the range of the fight with straight punches before dropping his opponent again just before the round ended.

Further knockdowns followed on the visibly fatigued Rivetti in the third and fourth rounds, before a crushing body shot forced the referee to wave off the contest.

The win improves Corrigan’s professional record to 6-0 and earns him the ANBF Australasian Light Heavyweight Championship, adding a second title to his growing resume.

Tanaka Saburi Captures First State Championship

Rising prospect Tanaka Saburi claimed his first professional title with a stoppage victory over Bikash Rana for the WA State Light Welterweight Championship.

The contest began cautiously, with Saburi dictating the tempo of the fight by using his jab to keep his Nepalese opponent at bay.

Rana attempted to pressure forward and fight on the inside, but Saburi’s superior movement kept him out of danger.

As the fight progressed, Saburi began opening up offensively. In the third round, he repeatedly backed Rana onto the ropes while landing heavy body shots and sharp hooks.

As both fighters prepared for the fourth and final round, Rana’s corner surprisingly decided to stop the contest. 

Saburi was awarded the stoppage victory and the first championship of his professional career, while the loss for Rana marks his first defeat inside the distance.

With another composed and dominant performance under his belt, Tanaka Saburi continues to establish himself as one of Western Australia’s most promising talents.

Full Card Results

WA State Heavyweight Championship

Michael Bazley DEFEATED Ryan Williams by 2nd Round TKO (Corner Stoppage)

Emmanuel Ritti DEFEATED Nobutatsu Suzuki by 1st Round TKO 

ANBF Australasian Light Heavyweight Championship

Owen Corrigan DEFEATED Micah Rivetti by 4th Round TKO

WA State Light Welterweight Championship

Tanaka Saburi DEFEATED Bikash Rana by 3rd Round TKO (Corner Retirement)

WBF Masters Cruiserweight Championship

Riccardo Montelone DEFEATED Mark Stephenson by 1st Round KO

Joel Lewis vs Weifang Li ended in a MAJORITY DRAW

2026 Alan Pond Cup

Luke Dowsett vs Steve Sibincic ended in a SPLIT DRAW

Bilal Seidu DEFEATED Theepakorn Pankasem by 1st Round TKO

Nicolas Serrano DEFEATED Mitchell Arnold by Unanimous Decision

Exhibition Fight

Matt Francis DEFEATED Oliver Wyborn by 2nd Round TKO (Corner Stoppage)

Exhibition Fight

Elijah Murray DEFEATED Tyson Palelei by Unanimous Decision

Material Courtesy of: Dragon Fire Boxing/Photos Courtesy of: Mike O’Hara/Dragon Fire Boxing Used with permission.

The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

The Return Of Dmitry Bivol

In February of last year, longtime Light-Heavyweight cornerstone Dmitry Bivol became a two-time world champion by defeating Undisputed World Light-Heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev in their rematch, avenging his lone career defeat to Beterbiev when the two met in October 2024 to fully unify the Light-Heavyweight division. While Bivol not only became a two-time world champion by besting Beterbiev, he also added his name to the short list of fighters to have become an undisputed champion in the long history of the division.

As seems to be the norm in recent times, however, Bivol’s time as an undisputed champion was short lived. In Bivol’s case, he opted to address a back injury shortly after becoming champion again, which he had been dealing with for a decade, which required surgery, which in turn, led Boxing's various sanctioning organizations, namely the WBC and WBO of their respective portions of the World Light-Heavyweight championship, removing his status as an undisputed champion, despite his being sidelined due to recovering from surgery. More than one year has passed since Bivol’s victory over Beterbiev and though a third encounter between the two appears likely, Bivol, now a unified world champion will defend his IBO, WBA, IBF World Light-Heavyweight crown against current IBF number one rated Light-Heavyweight contender Michael Eifert on Saturday, May 30th at the UMMC Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia in a fight that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN. 

On the surface, this appears to be a tailor-made “Comeback Fight” for the champion. This is due largely to the advantages that Bivol has both in terms of overall experience as well as caliber of opposition. While most would concede that this is a significant step up in class from Eifert, he does have an impressive, albeit limited resume. The challenger will enter this significant step up in class in challenging for his first world title with a record of 13-1, with 5 Knockouts. Although numbers wise, Bivol is 24-1, with 15 Knockouts, not appearing to some to be a significant disparity in experience, the story behind the numbers all falls under the pretense of caliber of opposition. What Eifert does have going for him, however, is he has never been stopped in his career to this point and will enter the bout on a seven fight winning streak. 

A potential red flag, however, particularly given his status as a current number one contender is that Eifert has not fought in over two years, yet has maintained his ranking with the International Boxing Federation (IBF), despite his inactivity. This will likely come down to two factors. One, what type of condition will the champion Dmitry Bivol be in coming off of a significant hiatus and surgery to repair a back injury, and two, what kind of challenge will Michael Eifert try to present to the champion. Earlier in his career, Dmitry Bivol developed a reputation as a “Knockout Artist” that was for a time being compared to the then Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin in terms of punching power and demonstrating a penchant for scoring quick, and often brutal knockouts. As time went on and as the caliber of his opposition increased, Bivol showed that he was far more than a power puncher and has truly become a complete fighter without too many flaws that have been able to be exploited by opponents. It will be up to Eifert to show that he has the skillset to be able to solve a puzzle that only one fighter to this point was able to get by in Artur Beterbiev. Put simply, you never know what will happen when two fighters get into a ring to do battle, and while fighters like the rest of us, are all human and can easily have a bad night at the office. The odds are against Eifert here and it will be up to him to show that his status as the underdog has been miscategorized.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

Bivol vs. Eifert takes place on Saturday, May 30th at the UMMC Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The fight can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 11AM ET/8AM PT. 

(*North American Times Only.*) 

(*Card and Start Times Subject to Change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

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