Bektemir Melikuziev claims victory in latest professional bout

Uzbek boxer Bektemir Melikuziev faced American David Stevens for a championship belt in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 3. Melikuziev secured the win by points, demonstrating his superior speed and relentless style.

Throughout the 12-round match, Melikuziev attacked Stevens aggressively, focusing on body shots and close-range cross punches. Despite having opportunities to evade, Stevens struggled to keep up with Melikuziev's pace and precision, moving at a slower rhythm.

The judges scored the bout in Melikuziev's favor (118-110, 117-111, 112-116), marking him as the mandatory challenger for the World Boxing Association (WBA) title in the super middleweight division.

With this win, the 28-year-old Melikoziev improved his professional record to 15-1, edging ahead of the 24-year-old Stevens, who now stands at 14-2. This victory comes after Melikuziev's April win over France's Pierre Huber Dibombe, while Stevens last defeated Argentina's Sergio Lopez in June.

It was previously reported that the WBA has planned for the winner of the upcoming fight between Naoya Inoue and Sam Goodman, Japan’s undisputed champion, to face Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev.