There’s something charming about boxing in a diminutive room. This may sound a bit offensive or condescending. This is not. It’s just a different feeling than being at ringside in a huge arena. It’s like your favorite indie band evolving from Rock City or The Leadmill to playing their songs to a much larger audience. The same songs sound different now.

Watching boxing in a smaller setting is a more intimate and personal experience. You notice little things and are more likely to run into someone you haven’t seen or talked to in years.

Saturday evening brought a recent place. Sheffield Skateboarding Centre. A gigantic room above the casino that could probably be used for roller skating, unless it was converted into a boxing theater for the evening. He had a bushing shop. A first for me. The toilets gave off the aroma of a fruity vape or six, tobacco and other less legal odors. The queue prolonged the pain. It was a one-time visit. I never came back. My lungs are too precious to me. At least there’s someone in Rock City who sells aftershave drops.

I found an insulated chair. I carried him and found a comfortable position at the ringside. There was no official media section. It’s just a matter of sitting wherever you can. Or more precisely, wherever you want. I was pleased with what I found.

Four-fight card. A spectacle full of fights ending in the last minute. One of the competitors withdrew on the way to the scene. An accident in his car ended his night prematurely. Another contestant went home without a prize. The misadventures of a promoter trying to put on a show and trying to keep it going.

Promoter Dennis Hobson has been around for a long time. He’s seen it all before. The seat at the top table used to be his. Still going, still grinding. His passion for the sport never dies and his latest signing has rekindled his elderly energy. She can be everything he needs.

Nicola Hopewell was the last fight for all four. The most crucial status in the first defense of the Commonwealth flyweight title. Her opposition was the hardline Nigerian Mary Aina Abbey. A fight that brought with it a circle of danger. Twelve victories in thirteen fights. Ten of those victories were over the distance. Voices of concern could be heard from outside the ring. Whispers of nervousness. Hopewell didn’t hear them, however, knowing he had a strenuous fight ahead of him. The players may say differently, but inside they know the truth. They can’t hide from themselves.

Hopewell signed a three-fight promotional deal with Hobson during Fight Week. Three years after they first met and discussed terms, they finally came to an agreement.

But the first one was Georgia Klein. An intriguing perspective from Dave Allen that is worth paying attention to. Klein improved to 2-0 with a 40-36 point victory over Katherine Quintana. A Colombian who failed to win in 33 fights. He’s going again in December. Her losing streak probably won’t end. Harli Whitwell is another fighter who will be looking to further her career with the Quintana name on her record when she fights on December 7 in Essex. Whitwell could be something special.

Hopewell closed the program. It wasn’t basic. This is evidenced by the open wounds on her face. For the second time in a row, her opponent’s head connected with her features and drew so much blood that stitches were required.

The fight started with three close rounds. The Worksop man was ahead, but not by much. The fourth round brought a change in the fate of the match. Abbey was turning pale. Hopewell has found her range. The rival held on. Literally. A point was deducted for the mouthguard falling out. It was a fight for survival, but it was lost. Abbey was brave and no one can deny her that.

Hopewell dumped Abbey with less than 20 seconds left. A straight line through the middle found the target. The Nigerian was lying on the floor, but the bell came to her aid. Hopewell raised her hand. The broad, unanimous decision justified her dominance. Against a risky opponent, it was a sink-or-swim moment. Abbey returns home empty-handed. All my confidence before the fight was wasted. Like the voices of impending doom for Hopewell.

Hopewell and Hobson could be the perfect partnership. They need each other in different ways. Hobson always wanted to work with Hopewell. He saw something. After the fight, he told me that he sees more now and thinks he still has some work to do.

There was a little bit of everything on the cards Saturday evening.

There were impressive victories, some shocking results and withdrawals.

As the boxing roadshow packs its bags and begins its first fight card at Manchester’s Co-op Arena, there are plenty of reasons to wonder about the future of yesterday’s fighters.

checks who might be next among the winners and losers.

Bakhram Murtazaliev and Tim Tszyu

The super welterweight division was thrust into the spotlight after Murtazaliev defended his IBF title in emphatic fashion. Most would expect a thrilling fight, but few would predict the champion winning in the third round.

What’s next?

At the post-fight press conference, Murtazaliev mentioned unification fights, which resulted in Sebastian Fundora and Terence Crawford joining the conversation. However, the Russian may have to wait until next spring/summer for this to happen. In the meantime, it must build on its momentum and return in the first quarter of 2025. Defending the title against someone like Erickson Lubin (3rd IBF challenger) makes sense. As for Tszyu, reconstruction and rethinking are necessary.

Adam Azim and Ohara Davies

Azim appeared at Boxxer’s main event last night. The undefeated super lightweight broke Davies and stopped his fighter, which looks better than going the distance.

What’s next?

The calls for Azim’s next fight will be between Dalton Smith and Harlem Eubank. Earlier this week, Azim talked about returning in December and then February. Smith will fight in December and Eubank on October 25. If Azim returns before the end of the year, it will not be a step back from Davies. One option could be Jose Zepeda, who defeated Ivan Redkach in September but lost to Smith in March. Maybe a chance for a better job? Sandor Martin or Sergey Lipinets are notable alternatives. Davies should follow his suggestion in his post-fight interview and retire.

William Scull and Vladimir Shishkin

It’s been several years since anyone other than Canelo Alvarez has been the super middleweight champion of the world. On Saturday night, William Scull became the newest 168-pound champion after defeating Vladimir Shishkin in Germany to win the vacant IBF belt.

What’s next?

Christian Mbilli will become the number one contender for the IBF organization next month, so it can be expected that his promoter Top Rank will be pushing demanding for this fight. Shishkin was not outclassed against Scull and will come again. Someone like Zach Parker and his promoter Frank Warren should see Shishkin as an early 2025 opponent.

TIM TSZYU is looking to bounce back from a bloody defeat to Sebastian Fundora in March and was immediately given the opportunity to win the world title again, but standing in his way is undefeated IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Both have a combined record of 46-1, of which 33 victories came in the distance – but which victory in each competitor’s CV is the best? We take a look at their top three.

TIM TSZYU THREE BEST WINS

3. Jeff Horn, 26/08/2020, Townsville – TKO 9

It could easily be considered a victory in which Tszyu, who was 15-0 at the time, truly announced himself as the next dominant force in Australian boxing by defeating and brutally stopping Jeff Horn.

Horn, of course, etched his name into the country’s boxing folklore by defeating all-time great Manny Pacquiao for the welterweight title three years earlier. However, he had no answer to Tszyu’s attack at 154 pounds. Horn trailed in innings three and seven before failing to come out in the ninth. “I just want everyone to know this,” he said later. “My name is Tim, not Kostya’s son.”

2. Carlos Ocampo, 18/06/2023, Broadbeach – TKO 1

With a 35-2 record, Carlos Ocampo was seen as something of a step up for Tszyu, who would face some recent challenges at the hands of the experienced Mexican.

However, he made fun of the pre-fight predictions by steamrolling Ocampo in just 72 seconds against the knockout of the year contender. First, he dropped him with a gigantic right hand, which Ocampo only just managed to recover from.

However, the recovery was short-lived as Tszyu attacked him and brutally ended the fight with a left hook, leaving Ocampo left icy on the bottom rope.

1. Brian Mendoza, 15/10/2023, Broadbeach – UD 12

It wasn’t the pop, bang, bang present in many of Tszyu’s stoppage victories, but in his first defense of his WBO welterweight title, the Australian boxed brilliantly en route to a clear defeat over Brian Mendoza.

For many, it was the No. 1 against the No. 2 in the division, and Mendoza entered the fight on the back of knockout victories over Jeison Rosario and Sebastian Fundora. However, Tszyu neutralized this strength and dominated the second half of the fight, winning by scores of 117-111, 116-111 and 116-112.

BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV THREE BEST WINS

3. Fernando Carcamo, 4/8/2018, Atlantic City – TKO 1

After finishing his first two 10-round fights in the fifth round, Fernando Carcamo (then 23-8) was expected to offer a similar level of resistance to the Russian punch. Murtazaliev, however, had a different idea and stopped it in just 41 seconds.

It was the fastest break in his career. Murtazaliev took advantage of the early pressure and staggered Carcamo with a keen left hook that sent him sliding back towards the ropes.

Clearly in no mood to move on to the second round, Murtazaliev stepped up and eventually dropped his opponent with a right hand for the first and last time. He stood up at the count of 10, and referee Eddie Claudio immediately waved his hand.

2. Jorge Fortea, 11/02/2019, Las Vegas – UD 12

It wasn’t the most explosive performance of Murtazaliev’s career, but it was an eliminator against a good opponent from Fortea, who did well to spoil a lot of the Russian’s work.

Still, Murtazaliev showed diligence and patience, outworking the Spaniard and landing cleaner, stronger shots throughout the match, securing a unanimous decision in his first 12-round match.

Lisa Giampa gave him a 120-108 victory, while Tim Cheatham (119-109) and Steve Weisfeld (118-110) came a little closer to victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

1. Jack Culcay, April 6, 2024, Falkensee – TKO 11

The victory over Fortea was supposed to be an eliminator for the world title fight, but Murtazaliev, although he remained undefeated, had to wait until April this year to finally fight for the belt.

Murtazaliev surrendered the home advantage to his opponent in what was by far the best win of his career to date as he traveled to Germany to face Jack Culcay. By the time they reached the 11th card, he had the advantage in two of the three cards, but he was in no mood to leave it in the judges’ hands and instead called it quits at 2:50.

Murtazaliev hurt Culcay repeatedly in the 11th round and it was remarkable that he was still on his feet with 10 seconds left in the round, but thanks to one final, crushing right hand, Culcay went down and lost, and Murtazliev was crowned the recent IBF 154-pound champion .