The fight started with immediate drama. Foster came out aggressive and sent Ford into a frenzy at the end of the first round during an exchange. No points were deducted and the fight continued after a low break.

Ford entered the fight in the second round, finding success with his speed and counterattacks. He landed several pointed shots to the left hand and body, making Foster pay when the champion became too aggressive.

The competition was fierce in the first rounds. Foster pressed forward with combinations and right hands, while Ford relied on timing and accuracy to score on counters. Neither fighter managed to take full control in the first half of the fight.

As the fight progressed, Foster gradually found his rhythm. He increased his punching power, landed his combinations consistently and used effective pressure to force Ford to work harder. The champion’s best stretch came in the middle rounds, when he repeatedly took Ford to right hands and controlled most of the action.

Ford still had his moments, especially when attacking the body and taking shots down the left wing, but Foster’s activity and command in the ring allowed him to move ahead on the scorecards. Ford rallied in the later rounds and finished several exchanges strongly, although Foster remained composed and finished the fight well enough to secure the decision.

After 12 rounds, Foster defended his title in front of his hometown fans and immediately turned his attention to greater opportunities at 130 pounds.

Woodward stops Flores

Featherweight fighter Javon “Pop” Woodward improved to 18-2 (16 KOs) after an eighth-round stoppage of veteran Miguel Flores.

Woodward dropped Flores in the second round with a chopping right hand and continued to apply pressure throughout the fight. Flores showed great determination, fighting through a cut above his left eye and firing multiple times despite taking weighty punishment.

The fight continued until the eighth round, when Woodward scored two more knockdowns. Flores got up from the second, but after the third knockdown he was unable to beat the counter, ending the fight at 2:31 of the round.

Sheehy smashes Theran

Lightweight prospect Charlie Sheehy remained undefeated, improving to 13-0 (8 KO) with a ninth-round knockout of Nike Theran.

Sheehy controlled the fight from the opening bell with disciplined jabbing, true right hands and consistent bodywork. Theran showed resilience and endured some complex moments, but Sheehy’s constant attack gradually wore him down.

After dominating most of the contest, Sheehy finally ended the fight in the ninth round when a right hand dropped Theran for a full count.

Jones flows past Osuna

2024 Olympic bronze medalist Omari Jones improved to 7-0 (4 KO) after winning an eight-round unanimous decision over Diego Osuna.

Jones started quickly, scoring a first-round knockdown with a left hook. From that point on, he controlled the fight with his jabs, movement, and excellent boxing skills.

Osuna showed toughness, surviving several perilous moments, but Jones consistently outplayed him in the remaining rounds, scoring 80-71 on all three cards.

Moses remains undefeated

Lightweight prospect Zaquin Moses improved to 7-0 (3 KO) with a six-round unanimous decision over Travis Crawford.

Moses controlled most of the fight with incredible speed and accuracy, landing cleaner punches throughout the fight. Crawford remained competitive and had the most success in the final round, but Moses responded well and finished the fight strongly, scoring three identical scores of 60-54.

Early results

Super featherweight prospect Julian Montalvo improved to 7-0 (5 KO) after stopping Maximus Moya in the fourth round. Montalvo worked the body intensely throughout the fight before forcing the referee to stop the action at 2:16 of the fourth round.

Middleweight prospect Frank Espinoza improved to 4-0 (4 KO) when a corner kick from Bryce Blackwell stopped the fight ten seconds into the fourth round. Espinoza controlled the action from the first bell and repeatedly hurt Blackwell in the third round.

Super middleweight Jahyden Britton improved to 9-0 (6 KO) after stopping Najee West in the fourth round. Britton scored three knockdowns with body shots before the fight was stopped at 2:58 of the fourth round.

Esteemed coach Robert Garcia is intrigued by Canelo Alvarez’s performance against Christian Mbilla, especially after the “beating” he received from Terence Crawford.

Even though he may not be able to stand the beatings, Nevertheless, Canelo was comprehensively outpointed by “Bud”who retired a few months after his September super middleweight bout.

As Crawford became the undisputed king of three divisions, his departure from the sport left behind four world titles, including the WBC belt.

As a result, Mbilli was promoted from “interim” to full WBC champion, which in turn gave him the opportunity to fight Canelo on September 12 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

Like Alvarez, the Frenchman won’t fight for almost a year; not since his 10-round draw against undefeated rival Lester Martinez.

However, unlike his next opponent, Mbilli appears to be in excellent physical condition and can fight at a speedy pace, although perhaps lacking defensive finesse.

The 31-year-old could therefore cause problems for Canelo, who, according to Garcia, will do his job without any problems.

I’m talking to YSM sports mediathe top coach highlighted Mbilla’s durability as a key factor and was curious to see how Alvarez would respond to such resistance.

“Mbilli is tough, man. He had a really good fight against Lester [Martinez]and Lester is also a great fighter so it will be engaging to see how Canelo comes back from the beating he took [against Crawford].

“It’s a close fight, I still favor Canelo [over Mbilli]but it won’t be uncomplicated.”

Many suspect that Canelo is 35 years elderly and close to retirement, but a victory over Mbilli will certainly put him in the huge fights at 168 and maybe even 175 pounds.

The reaction came quickly after Oleksandr Usyk’s 11th-round stoppage of Rico Verhoeven at the Giza Pyramids on Saturday, with the winner, loser and heavyweight architects weighing in on the outcome and what would come next.

Usyk dedicates the victory to Ukraine

Usyk briefly outlined his immediate assessment. “I’m winning, that’s good,” he said. He then turned to his opponent. “Rico is an amazing fighter. He prepared very well. It was a tough fight. He’s a threatening guy. Substantial, forceful, full of heart. Respect for him.”

A Ukrainian whose family is still affected by the war in the country said his daughter contacted her before the official result was announced. “My people are under bombs right now. My daughter is in a bomb shelter and she texted me, ‘Dad, I love you. You win.’ She was scared but ecstatic. This victory belongs to the entire Ukrainian nation.” He added: “Thank you, my Lord Jesus Christ.”

When asked about his future, Usyk again raised the prospect of fighting Tyson Fury, who has been retired since early 2025. “I’m sure Tyson Fury is not retired. He wants this fight, I want this fight. We’ll see,” Usyk said. “I have two, maybe three fights left.”

Verhoeven: “I showed I belonged”

Verhoeven, who was competing in just his second professional boxing fight, felt the fight was tighter than the ending suggested. “I thought the fight was close and maybe even close in the later rounds,” he said. He accepted referee Mark Lyson’s decision, noting he was still on his feet with seconds until the bell, and called the evening a learning experience.

“I came here to shock the world and showed that I belong to this team. Usyk is the best for a reason. Huge respect,” said Verhoeven. He made it clear that he intended to stay in the sport. “I’m here to stay as a boxer. I’m not here to compete, I’m here to take control.”

Verhoeven’s coach, Peter Fury, said the break was fair, adding that his fighter was exhausted and would likely have been stopped in the 12th round anyway.

Alalshikh looks to Germany and Istanbul

Turki Alalshikh immediately moved on to Usyk’s next steps, confirming that he will meet with the champion to discuss a potential fight with Agit Kabayel in Germany in delayed 2026. He also announced a bigger event for Usyk in Istanbul, near Hagia Sophia, in 2027.

Kabayel, the WBC interim heavyweight champion, has long been pushing for this fight. “Usyk will have to fight me next,” he said. “Normally he has to fight me, Usyk. I hope I’ll be next in line.” Kabayel called Saturday’s fight a spectacle rather than a real sporting test, calling it an “exhibition fight.”