Arslanbek Makhmudov generated some much-needed momentum Friday, mauling the undefeated but overmatched Ricardo Brown in a first-round stoppage at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada.
Makhmudov dropped Brown once, on an overhand right midway through the round. Brown rose up to his feet but had not fully recovered from the shot, which landed on his temple, leading to the referee’s stoppage.
Makhmudov, 20-2 (19 KOs), of Montreal by way of Mozdok, Russiahad, had lost two of his previous three bouts, by stoppages against Agit Kabayel and Guido Vianello, but has been a fan favorite in his adopted country of Canada due to his all-out aggression.
Brown, 12-1 (11 KOs), of Jamaica, had been unbeaten but untested in his three-year pro career.
The 10-round scheduled fight was part of an Eye of the Tiger Management/Top Rank card that aired live on ESPN+ in the United States.
Quebec City native Wilkens Mathieu put on a sharpshooting exhibition in front of his hometown fans, finishing off Adagio McDonald in the third round of their eight-round light heavyweight fight.
Mathieu, 14-0 (10 KOs), used his straight right hands to break through the southpaw defense of France’s 29-year-old McDonald, whose record dropped to 8-3 (6 KOs). After a right hand-left hook combo rocked McDonald, Mathieu opened up a combination that dropped McDonald with a hook, at which point the referee stopped the fight without a count at the 44-second mark.
Mathieu, who is just 20 years old despite being a two-year pro, has emerged as one of Canada’s brightest young prospects. He fought internationally as an amateur, representing Canada in Hungary, Germany and Spain.
Heavy-handed junior lightweight prospect Jhon Orobio may have made the leap to full-blown contender on Friday, knocking out durable Slovakian Zsolt Osadan at the 2-minute, 57-second mark. Orobio, a Colombian known as “El Tigre” who now lives and trains in Montreal, froze Osadan with a right hand to the temple before ending the fight with a clean-up left hook.
The 22-year-old Orobio, 14-0 (12 KOs), has kept an active pace in his career, going the eight-round distance for the first time in his previous bout, shutting out Sebastian Ezequiel Aguirre in April.
Christopher Guerrero survived one of the toughest tests of his young career, stopping French journeyman Sandy Messaoud in the 10th and final round of their welterweight fight.
In a difficult style matchup that saw the southpaw Messaoud outbox the brawling Guerrero, Guerrero pulled the fight out of the fire with a right hand that sent Messaoud’s mouthpiece flying out and froze him in place, leaving Messaoud open for a series of power shots that sent him into his own corner before his handlers stepped in to prevent further damage at 2 minutes and 28 seconds.
Guerrero, 14-0 (8 KOs), of Montreal by way of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has now won four of his past five by stoppage, while the 38-year-old Messaoud lost for the first time by stoppage since he lost in seven rounds against David Papot in 2015.
Leila Beaudoin, 13-1 (2 KOs), of Levis, Quebec, scored the biggest win of her career, stopping former title challenger Elhem Mekhaled, 17-4 (3 KOs), in the sixth of a scheduled 10-round junior lightweight fight. Beaudoin, who has now won four straight, dropped Mekhaled just seconds into the sixth with a chopping right hand and then once again with a series of power shots highlighted by left hooks, before the fight was stopped at 1 minute and 8 seconds.
Mekhaled had twice before challenged for world titles, losing decisions to Alycia Baumgardner and Chantelle Cameron, though Baumgardner dropped her twice in their fight.
With the win, Beaudoin retained a minor belt. She now will look to move into position for a world title opportunity for herself.
Opening the card, Wyatt Sanford went the distance for the first time since turning pro a month ago, shutting out Mark Andrejev over six rounds in their junior welterweight bout. Two judges scored the bout 60-54, while the third had it 60-53, all for Sanford, a 2024 Olympic bronze medalist from Kennetcook in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Sanford, 3-0 (2 KOs), a southpaw, utilized his superior boxing skills, turning out of danger with his right hooks while not allowing Estonia’s Andrejev, 4-2, to plant his feet to land power punches.
Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for jeetwin68.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at .
