RIYADH: The Saudi capital was the backdrop for a spectacular night of boxing as The Last Crescendo fight night delivered a number of unforgettable moments that highlighted both established champions and emerging talents.
Headlining was a remarkable upset in the light-heavyweight division, where Dmitry Bivol dethroned Artur Beterbiev to become the undisputed champion. Alongside this historic victory, Joseph Parker made a powerful comeback, dominating Martin Bakole to add further excitement to the star-studded card.
The evening’s main event saw a thrilling reversal of fortune as Bivol avenged his previous loss to Beterbiev. Having fallen short in their first meeting, Bivol made key adjustments and outboxed his opponent in a tactical showdown that went the distance.
Judges scored it 115-113, 116-112 and 114-114 in favor of the Russian, securing his place as the undisputed light-heavyweight champion. The win opens the door for a potential trilogy between the two and boxing fans are already buzzing for the next chapter in their rivalry.
The excitement was evident early on when Saudi fighters Ziyad Al-Maayouf and Mohammed Alakel secured dominant victories, igniting the crowd. Al-Maayouf was impressive in his super lightweight clash with Jonatas de Oliveira, winning by unanimous decision after a disciplined and controlled performance.
Alakel followed up with a strong six-round display against Engel Gomez, maintaining his unbeaten record at 3-0. The victories set the tone for a thrilling evening, and the energy in the arena continued to build throughout the night.
In the co-main event, former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker returned to form with an emphatic second-round TKO over Martin Bakole. Parker’s combination of speed and power overwhelmed his opponent, forcing the referee to step in after a crushing barrage of punches sent Bakole to the canvas. The win was much needed for Parker, signaling his intent to challenge the top names in the heavyweight division once again.
Shakur Stevenson continued to shine in the lightweight division, successfully defending his WBC title against Josh Padley. From the opening bell, Stevenson’s superior skill and speed were on full display, eventually leading to Padley’s corner throwing in the towel after the ninth round. Stevenson remains undefeated with a 20-0 record, solidifying his place as one of the sport’s rising stars.
The middleweight division witnessed a controversial outcome in the bout between Carlos Adames and Hamzah Sheeraz. Despite a competitive back-and-forth, the fight ended in a split draw after one judge scored it for Sheeraz, another for Adames, and the third called it even. Adames retained his WBC title as a result, though many felt the decision left more questions than answers.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. continued his climb in the welterweight ranks, successfully defending his WBC interim super welterweight title with a narrow unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov. The fight was a war; both men exchanged powerful shots, but Ortiz’s precision and ability to stay composed in the later rounds allowed him to come out on top. His win kept his perfect record intact, moving him to 23-0.
In the heavyweight ranks, Agit Kabayel extended his unbeaten record to 26-0 with a spectacular sixth-round knockout of Zhilei Zhang. Kabayel’s impressive power was on full display as he dropped Zhang with a brutal body shot that silenced the crowd, confirming his status as a dangerous contender.
Callum Smith added another title to his collection, claiming the vacant WBO light heavyweight belt with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Joshua Buatsi. The bout was a tactical masterpiece, with Smith’s experience and poise in the later rounds giving him the edge and handing Buatsi his first career loss.
The action left the crowd buzzing. With local stars making their mark and world-class fighters delivering thrilling action, The Last Crescendo was a night to live long in the memory.
