Daniel Dubois has recorded an eighth-round stoppage of Filip Hrgovic to win the 'interim' IBF heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia.
In the Queensberry Promotions versus Matchroom Sport 5v5 contest, Dubois delivered the pivotal result in the penultimate fight in a slugfest with the long-time mandatory challenger.
Queensberry had already been 6-0 to the good before Dubois and Hrgovic entered the ring, with it initially appearing that Hrgovic would outclass and overpower Dubois in a dominant opening round.
However, Dubois barely took a backwards step throughout and was prepared to ship thudding shots from his opponent to land his own, with that tactic leading to a number of head clashes.
Whether it was from damage from that or punches, Hrgovic ended with notable cuts around each eye and once Dubois began to dominate at the back end of the seventh and start of the eighth, the referee called in the doctor who waved off the fight to no complaints from the Croatian.
A BATTLE ⚔️
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 1, 2024
And we head to the 8⃣th round 👀#QueensberryVsMatchroom | Live NOW | Live on DAZN: Click link in bio to buy.#5vs5 | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/15a24vxOtD
Dubois will now hope to be elevated to full IBF champion, depending on the outcome of Oleksandr Usyk's appeal to be granted one more fight - the rematch with Tyson Fury in December - with the belt in his possession.
Zhang dominates Wilder before knockout
In the main event, Zhilei Zhang likely ended the career of Deontay Wilder with a dominant performance before a fifth-round knockout, clinching Queensberry's 10-0 win in the process.
Boxing on the back foot, Wilder had little answer to Zhang's calculated pressure and was well behind on the scorecards heading into that round.
Wilder showed glimmers of life during the early stages until Zhang detonated a right cross that spun Wilder around before devastatingly connecting with a right hand once Wilder was back facing him, sending him heavily to the canvas.
To Wilder's credit, he made it back to his feet and made the count of 10, but the American was in no fit state to continue as the referee waved off the bout.
© Reuters
Ball, Sheeraz sparkle for Queensberry
Just three months on from being controversially denied the WBC featherweight title against Rey Vargas, Nick Ball was crowned WBA champion with a thrilling victory over Raymond Ford.
In one of the fights of the year, Ball threw 879 punches in comparison to Ford's 776, the British fighter's relentless pressure ultimately paying off in what was a razer-close bout.
Two of the judges went with Ball by a 115-113 verdict - the other going to Ford by the same verdict - but there would have been no complaints with a draw with the classier work coming from American Ford.
And the NEW...@nick_ball97 takes Team Queensberry to 2-0 💥#QueensberryVsMatchroom | Live NOW | Live on DAZN: Click link in bio to buy.#5vs5 | #RiyadhSeason | @Turki_alalshikh pic.twitter.com/9TEpH6KRaY
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) June 1, 2024
Hamzah Sheeraz - Queensberry's captain - delivered in the next fight, responding to being rocked in the second round by Austin Williams to use his vast size advantage to good effect.
Although Williams showed heart and remained a threat, the heavier work was coming from Sheeraz, and after a knockdown on the bell in the 10th, several powerful shots in the 11th saw the referee rightly step in to call a halt to the fight.
The opening bout saw Willy Hutchinson deservedly handed a points victory over Craig Richards in their light-heavyweight contest.
Darren Plant
