Dmitry Bivol hinted at a desire to face countryman Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light-heavyweight title after a dominant twelve-round victory over Gilberto Ramirez in Abu Dhabi.
Bivol settled fast and was in control for the majority of the contest behind a sharp jab which was buoyed by fleeting footwork to control the range of the fight.
Ramirez struggled to close the distance and gain momentum throughout the fight.
The judges found the Russian a deserved winner by scores of 118-110 and 117-111 (twice) to see Bivol maintain his WBA light-heavyweight title.
Bivol’s post-fight interview suggested his preference lay in favour of a huge undisputed showdown with fellow countryman Beterbiev.
“I need another guy who doesn’t know what [to] lose is. It means a lot to me. I have a goal, I want to be undisputed champion.
“But it does not all depend on me. If everything depends on me, I [would have] fought for four belts in [my] eleventh fight maybe.”
Beterbiev appears poised to fight Britain’s Anthony Yarde in London next year.
Chantelle Cameron put in the performance of her career so far to become the undisputed super-lightweight champion against Jessica McCaskill.
Cameron boxed superbly from range in the first half to hold off the American, making McCaskill miss wildly as she failed to pin the Brit down.
McCaskill improved in the second half and finished the fight strong as the output of Cameron slowed, looking to have found a home for her right-hand in the final rounds.
It wasn’t enough in the eyes of the judges however who found Cameron a winner by scores of 96-94 (twice) and 97-93.
The Northampton fighter surprisingly called for a rematch at welterweight where McCaskill holds all four belts post-fight.
A huge fight with Katie Taylor in Ireland is also an option for 2023.
Shavkat Rakhimov claimed the vacant IBF super-featherweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett.
The Brit started the fight well boxing on the back foot and looked to have hurt Rakhimov in the third, scoring a knockdown with a cuffing right uppercut with his back to the ropes.
Rakhimov’s pressure appeared to grow in the second half of the fight however as he continued to close Barrett down.
The output of the Brit slowed and the distance between the pair narrowed, with Rakhimov landing with increased fruition as the later rounds neared.
Rakhimov was gathering momentum and Barrett found himself on the canvas midway through the ninth, overwhelmed by the increased pressure of the Tajikistan man.
The Brit regained his footing but was bundled down again moments later.
Rakhimov forced him back to the ropes with winging hooks and Barrett looked weary, leaving trainer and uncle Pat Barrett no choice but to throw in the towel.
Rakhimov is now set to face former champion Joe Cordina after the Welshman was stripped of the title in October.
Galal Yafai was made to work hard in his third outing as a pro with a split-decision victory over Gohan Rodriguez Garcia.
The three judges ringside scored the bout 96-95 and 95-94 in favour of the Midlander, with the other finding the Mexican a close winner by 96-95.
Yafai started with frantic pressure on the front foot pushing Garcia back but often found himself walking onto cheap shots as the Mexican fought to keep him off.
The Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Yafai was a deserved close winner on the evening after a solid learning fight in the Middle East.
It is the first time Yafai has been taken the distance in the pro ranks after winning his first two fights inside the distance.
Former world champion and brother of Galal, Kal Yafai returned in a baptism of fire, winning a unanimous decision after ten frantic rounds against Jerald Paclar.
The Birmingham man found himself on the canvas in the opening round after a straight right crashed against his chin.
The Birmingham man survived the round but the right hand of the Filipino could hardly miss in the first five rounds, stiffening the legs of Yafai on a number of occasions.
Yafai fought fire with fire and regained ground in the second half of the fight on the front foot.
Paclar remained a danger but the pressure of the Brit banked him the majority of the rounds, sealing victory in his first fight back since defeat to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez in 2020.
Aqib Fiaz impressed with a dominant eight-round points win against Diego Faltierra (80-72 twice, 79-73).
The Oldham man demonstrated fleeting footwork and solid shot selection throughout against the game but limited Spaniard to move to 10-0 as a professional.
Lightweight Campbell Hatton scored the first opening-round knockout versus Denis Bartos, flooring the Czech Republican with two well-timed body shots.
The contest was waved off at 1:54 of the first round.
Sticking with the 135lb division, Dubai’s Fahad Al Bloushi cruised to a comfortable six-round points decision victory over Irakli Shariashvili (60-54, 59-55 twice).
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