Tajikistan’s unbeaten star Bakhodur Usmonov recorded an impressive third-round knockout over Albert Pagara in Dushanbe on 23 May. The scheduled 10-round contest headlined the IBA.Pro 6 event, resulting in the IBA World Boxing Championships 2023 bronze medallist coming out on top.

Entering with a 9-0 (4 KOs) record, Usmonov spent little time getting to grips with Pagara, a Filipino southpaw sporting a 35-1 (24 KOs) record.

Usmonov used his solid jab and patience to pick apart Pagara in the early going. The visitor increasingly moved towards the ropes for comfort, much to the vocal crowd’s delight.

Pagara complained that he had been hit around the back of the head in round three as Usmonov piled on the pressure. A combination of punches put Pagara down and out at the end of the third. The pair embraced in the ring afterwards.

Pagara had won a variety of titles across his 14-year career, including the WBO Intercontinental, IBF Asia and IBF Intercontinental belts. It was Usmonov who picked up the vacant WBA Gold lightweight title with this stoppage victory.

On the Tajikistan undercard, Maxim Chernichuk settled the score in a 10-round 66.7kg rematch with Luxembourg-based Michael King, winning on points by UD.

Well-known home boxer Davlat Boltaev stopped Cameroon’s Zacharie-Serge Mvogo Amougou in round two of their 90.7kg bout set for eight rounds.

In a +90.7kg cruiserweight contest, Russia’s returning Murad Khalidov outpointed Uzbekistan’s Khalimjon Mamasoliev over six rounds.

At 57.2kg, Tajikistan’s Akmal Ubaidov defeated Kazakhstan’s Erzhan Zalilov by six-round unanimous decision. Ubaidov was deducted a point in round four for an illegal punch off the break.

At 67kg, Russian debutant Yevgeny Kool stopped Uzbekistan’s Fariozbek Khakimov with a body shot in five of their scheduled six.

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