Latest news with #TheLastCrescendo
Campaign ME
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Here's Campaign Middle East's Saudi ‘Work' picks
Campaign Middle East features an annual double-page spread of selected Work from the Kingdom in its Saudi Arabia Report. Here is the 2025 round-up of some 'made-for-KSA, by-KSA' campaigns, featuring Saudi work from Riyadh Season, Rexona Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, HungerStation, Foodics, Budget Saudi, Beyond ONE – Virgin Mobile KSA, Disney+ MENA, Golden Chicken, AROYA Cruises and Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota. The Last Crescendo – Riyadh Season Agency: BigTime Creative Shop This cinematic film aims to capture the drama of the highly anticipated rematch between light-heavyweight boxers Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Set in a grand European opera house, The Last Crescendo tells the story of the two boxers through three dramatic acts. Directed by Alan Masferrer and shot over four days in Serbia, the film blends the art of opera with the raw drama of boxing. The soundtrack, composed by Philip Kay, was written specifically for the film, adding another layer of emotional depth. Quit Screens To Scenes – Budget Saudi Agency: FP7 McCann Saudi To redefine how people celebrate special moments, Budget Saudi launched a campaign to encourage Saudi audiences to take virtual expressions of celebration into reality. The campaign invited consumers to share details on special moments, whether a birthday, promotion or a personal achievement. Those who celebrated online were brought together by Budget for a real-world celebration supported by emoji-style hearts, claps and confetti. The car rental company also leveraged influencer Abdulaziz Bakr, someone who is typically only seen on a screen, to the activation in an effort to foster a deeper sense of community beyond the screen. We're Coming – Rexona Arabia x Saudi Arabian Football Federation Agency: ‿and us To celebrate the unstoppable determination of the Saudi Arabia Women's National Football Team, this campaign showcases the team's grit, resilience and relentless pursuit of their goals as they continue to break boundaries and inspire a new generation of athletes in the Kingdom. Narrated through the voices of young girls who dream of a future in football along with the National Team themselves, the campaign underscores a collective vision: the Saudi Women's National Team is not stopping until they achieve whatever they set out to achieve. Social Feed – HungerStation Agency: VML Dubai HungerStation introduced Social Feed – an AI-powered feature that allows users to turn any food post on social media into an orderable dish. The campaign taps into changing consumer behaviours, particularly the influence of social media on food choices. It also builds on HungerStation's ongoing efforts to rethink how users engage with food delivery. By blending social media habits with ordering, HungerStation created a platform where food seen online is now part of its menu. 10 Years – Foodics Agency: Foodies Block The cloud-based restaurant management tech and payments platform celebrated 10 years through this campaign by prompting audiences towards nostalgic moments with reflections on how restaurants operated 10 years ago. 'Remember when paper was used to take orders?'; 'remember waiting in long lines just to place an order?'; 'remember paying in cash and struggling to find spare change?' With a teaser reel followed by a brand video and four short-form social media videos, which were amplified through Saudi influencers, Foodics organically gathered more than 3.2 million impressions within the first week of the campaign's launch. Switch – Beyond ONE Group – Virgin Mobile KSA Agency: Swing This relatable integrated campaign promotes Virgin Mobile KSA's Switch Postpaid Plan by drawing inspiration from the daily inefficiencies that have consumers overpaying for underused experiences. The brand took a comedic route to bring its brand values of heartfelt service, delightful surprise, smart disruption and insatiable curiosity to life. Three hero films served as the centrepiece for the campaign, accompanied by a media mix of social media, digital-out-of-home, digital platforms and point-of-sale placements to ensure maximum visibility and impact. The Curse of Anything – Golden Chicken Agency: Tarek Nour Saudi Arabia This campaign taps into the universal problem of deciding what's for dinner, and the most common response to that question from friends, colleagues, and family: 'Anything!' While it might seem like a straightforward answer, the response frequently leads to a stressful and overwhelming decision-making process, especially for young mothers and busy individuals. To address this, Golden Chicken positions its products as a solution, simplifying the decision and providing the perfect meal solution. Watch and Live The Stories – Disney+ MENA Agency: Science & Sunshine To tie together Saudi storytelling with iconic entertainment options available on the streaming platform, Disney+ MENA released three short videos on its Disney+ Saudi Arabia Instagram account, inviting audiences to showcase how mainstream entertainment becomes a part of everyday Saudi households. Picking from six of its top performing content offerings, the campaign showcases fine-dining kabsa inspired by Disney's Ratatouille and FX's The Bear, Wolverine-inspired toothbrush claws, and a father singing beloved Disney tunes. From dallah coffee pitchers and folded ghutras by the door, every scene hints at how the streaming platform is immersed in Saudi culture and households. Toyota Reclaims Toyota – Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota Agency: Serviceplan Experience To address a digital challenge in Saudi Arabia, where local consumers commonly search for their vehicles using informal Arabic nicknames (terms the company's official website couldn't use), Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota leveraged off-page SEO techniques to turn a technical obstacle into a creative breakthrough. Serviceplan Experience developed an off-page SEO strategy that placed the informal nicknames into backlinks and anchor tags. Collaborating with trusted publishers and bloggers, the team ensured these high-volume terms linked back to Abdul Latif Jameel Motors Toyota's website. Yalla, AROYA Cruises – AROYA Cruises Agency: Social Clinic Former Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for Saudi football club Al-Nassr FC, has been spotted in a new advertising campaign, alongside his partner Georgina Rodríguez, for AROYA Cruises, the cruise line owned by Cruise Saudi, a PIF-funded company. The campaign took a cinematic, playful approach – offering a glimpse into how Ronaldo and Rodríguez turn a regular day at home into a spark of cruise excitement. To see the print version of the Saudi Work section, check out page 16-17 here.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dmitry Bivol vacates WBC title, David Benavidez fight to pursue Artur Beterbiev trilogy
Dmitry Bivol poses with the WBC title that no longer belongs to him. () (Mark Robinson via Getty Images) Dmitry Bivol's undisputed title run lasted a mere 44 days. Bivol, Uncrowned's No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer in the world, informed the WBC on Monday afternoon that he will be vacating its version of the light heavyweight title that he won in his brilliant rematch with Artur Beterbiev in February. Advertisement A March 5 ruling from the sanctioning body officially ordered Bivol to defend his championship against WBC interim champion David Benavidez next. With no deal reached, the WBC ordered an April 8 purse bid for Bivol vs. Benavidez, which Bivol has now withdrawn from less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to take place. According to veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael, Bivol informed the WBC that he vacated the championship because he is committed to a trilogy fight against Beterbiev, which could take place in October for the opening of Riyadh Season 2025-26. Beterbiev won a contentious majority decision over Bivol in their first meeting this past October to claim the undisputed crown. The pair rematched in the main event of "The Last Crescendo" show — labeled by some as the greatest boxing card of all time — organized by Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season in February. Advertisement On that occasion, Bivol saw his hand raised by majority decision to capture all four 175-pound belts. With the pair sharing one win apiece, a third meeting with Beterbiev is viewed as a natural next step for Bivol. Bivol remains the WBA, IBF and WBO champion. Benavidez is expected to be elevated to full WBC light heavyweight world champion and make the first defense of his crown in the summer. Although a Bivol vs. Benavidez fight won't take place next, Benavidez's promoter Sampson Lewkowicz is happy to re-explore the matchup should Bivol emerge victorious in his trilogy with Beterbiev. "We will give the [Bivol vs. Beterbiev 3] winner the opportunity to get the WBC title back at any time," Lewkowicz told Rafael. "We are one phone call away to make this fight happen."
Makkah Newspaper
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Makkah Newspaper
Bivol Claims Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title After Seizing Five Belts from Beterbiev in Historic Rematch at Riyadh Season
In the presence of HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Russian boxer Dmitry Bivol seized five championship belts from his Canadian rival Artur Beterbiev, becoming the undisputed world champion in the light heavyweight division. This historic rematch, 'The Last Crescendo,' took place at the ANB Arena as part of Riyadh Season. The main event, watched by boxing fans worldwide, began with the playing of the Saudi Royal Anthem before the fierce battle between the two fighters commenced. Bivol delivered an impressive performance in the first two rounds, but Beterbiev came back strong in the third, landing several powerful punches that gave him an advantage in the middle rounds. However, in the ninth round, Bivol staged a major comeback, asserting dominance and securing decisive points, leading the judges to grant him the victory by majority decision. With this win, the focus now shifts to a potential third fight, which would serve as the ultimate decider after both fighters have claimed one victory each. This defeat marks the first in Beterbiev's career, while Bivol demonstrated significant growth from his previous loss, securing the five major titles: the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), IBF (International Boxing Federation), WBO (World Boxing Organization), and The Ring Championship. Following his triumph, Bivol expressed his satisfaction, stating: 'After my loss, I felt more at ease and didn't put as much pressure on myself as I did in the previous fight. I focused solely on boxing from round one to round twelve, knowing I had done enough to secure the win.' When asked about the difference between this fight and their previous encounter, he responded: 'The difference was in my performance. I was better, I pushed myself harder, I was more confident, lighter on my feet, and I wanted the win badly today.' Regarding his future plans, Bivol confirmed his readiness for any upcoming challenge but emphasized the need for some rest due to injuries sustained during training camp: 'I'm ready for any challenge in the future, but I need some rest. I suffered an injury last summer, and this time, I also had injuries and had to undergo treatment throughout my training camp. Now, I need time to recover before I return to the ring.' The action-packed night began with a dominant victory for Saudi boxer Ziyad Al-Maiouf, who secured a well-earned win against Brazil's Jonatas de Oliveira in the welterweight division. After a strong performance, he claimed victory by unanimous decision after six rounds, proving his superiority with ease. In the super featherweight division, Saudi boxer Mohammed Al-Aql delivered an outstanding display against Argentina's Angel Gomez, controlling the fight and winning by unanimous decision after six rounds, adding another victory to his record. In a thrilling bout, Callum Smith of the UK captured the WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Title after a hard-fought battle against Joshua Buatsi. Smith displayed remarkable resilience despite suffering a bloody facial injury, ultimately securing a unanimous decision victory. Germany's Agit Kabayel claimed the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title after knocking out China's Zhilei Zhang in the sixth round. The bout was characterized by a lack of stamina from both fighters before Kabayel delivered a decisive knockout punch, leaving Zhang unable to recover. Undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk personally handed Kabayel the championship belt as he celebrated his 26th career win. In the WBC Super Welterweight Interim Title fight, American Vergil Ortiz Jr. dominated Uzbekistan's Israil Madrimov, winning by unanimous decision in an impressive performance that cemented his place in the division. The WBC Middleweight World Title fight between Carlos Adames from the Dominican Republic and Britain's Hamzah Sheeraz ended in a split draw, allowing Adames to retain his title in a contest that lacked a clear winner. In the lightweight division, American Shakur Stevenson delivered a masterclass performance against Britain's Josh Padley, knocking him down three times before Padley opted to retire in the ninth round. With this victory, Stevenson successfully defended his WBC Lightweight World Title, reaffirming his dominance in the division. New Zealand's Joseph Parker delivered a crushing victory against Martin Bakole of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Daniel Dubois just 48 hours before the fight due to Dubois falling ill. The referee stopped the fight in the second round after Parker landed a knockout blow that left Bakole unable to continue. With this win, Parker retained the WBO Interim Heavyweight Title.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bivol vs. Beterbiev 7 key takeaways: Dmitry Bivol's instant classic ensures a rubber match must happen
Dmitry Bivol did 'better.' That was how the understated, undisputed light heavyweight champion explained his career-defining performance to DAZN's Chris Mannix following his majority decision victory over Artur Beterbiev in their immediate rematch Saturday night. Bivol was much better than 'better' during their second fight — and markedly better than he was four months earlier — courageously giving fans an unforgettable conclusion to a stacked pay-per-view show, 'The Last Crescendo,' at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It sure seemed during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds that the aggressive, stronger Beterbiev would wear down Bivol both mentally and physically with his relentless pressure, hard head shots and a firm commitment to body punching. Bivol's movement kept him at a safe enough distance sometimes to prohibit Beterbiev from overwhelming Bivol with his punishing power. In the eighth round, however, Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) did more than simply employing a strategy that would help him avoid getting knocked out. The resilient Russian went on the attack and completed a role reversal that enabled him to start landing the more impactful punches, just as Beterbiev started showing signs of fatigue. That was the round in which Bivol determined it was then or never. If he were to avenge his lone loss, a majority decision to Beterbiev on Oct. 12 at nearby Kingdom Arena, he had to start taking risks more consistently than he did during the final few rounds of their first fight. The 34-year-old Bivol's incredible conditioning enabled him to do that and allowed a multi-dimensional champion who doesn't say much to make quite a statement in a bout fought at a frenetic pace by both boxers. He threw punches in combinations, exchanged with his heavier-handed rival in spots, moved out of harm's way when necessary, and convinced two judges that he deserved to have his hand raised this time. Judges Deon Dwarte (115-113) and Mike Fitzgerald (116-112) respectively scored seven and eight rounds for Bivol, who won the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC, WBO and Ring magazine belts from Beterbiev. Judge Jean-Robert Laine gave Bivol and Beterbiev six rounds apiece and had it a draw, 114-114. 'I'm just so happy,' Bivol told Mannix. 'I went through a lot last year. … To be honest, I lost and I feel a bit easier maybe; I didn't pressure [myself] too much this time, like before the last fight. I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. And I hoped I did enough, and I won it.' Whomever you had winning, the strategic yet thoroughly entertaining nature of their dramatic back-and-forth fight left fans much more excited about a potential rubber match than their rematch. Their first fight, which Beterbiev won by majority decision, was an elite-level tactical battle, but not as action-packed as the instant classic they produced in the main event Saturday night. Beterbiev didn't dispute the scoring that left the Russian knockout artist with the first defeat on his professional record (21-1, 20 KOs). 'I don't want to talk about the decision,' Beterbiev said. 'I congratulate Bivol, Bivol's team. "I don't know [what was different from the first fight]. I think this fight was better than the first fight. Now [is] my time to come back.' Before Bivol beat Beterbiev, Joseph Parker, Shakur Stevenson, Carlos Adames (though not officially), Vergil Ortiz Jr., Agit Kabayel and Callum Smith came away winners in fights that fascinated fans to varying degrees as part of this highly anticipated Riyadh Season card, which featured seven championship bouts. Let's dig into the rest. The Congolese contender accepted this difficult fight on about 48 hours' notice, and it showed. Bakole (21-2, 13 KOs) weighed in at a career high of 315 pounds in the early morning hours of Saturday in Riyadh. Less than 24 hours after he touched down in the comfort of a private jet, Parker's right hand in the second round made Bakole completely uncomfortable. That shot caught Bakole on the top of his head and knocked off his equilibrium. Bakole fell flat on his back, and although he beat referee Steve Gray's count, Bakole clearly was in no condition to continue at 2:17 of the second round. New Zealand's Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) didn't hesitate to take this dangerous substitute for Daniel Dubois once the IBF champion was diagnosed with a viral infection Thursday. Now that Parker has knocked out Bakole, and out-pointed Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder in his past three fights, Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) might move toward a lucrative rematch with former unified champion Anthony Joshua rather than rescheduling the Parker bout. England's Padley displayed a huge heart and a sturdy chin in taking punishing punches from Stevenson to his head and body for the better part of nine rounds. Stevenson sent this late replacement for an ill Floyd Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) to the canvas three times during the ninth round, all with body blows. Padley's trainer wisely threw in the towel following the third knockdown to end a completely one-sided showcase for Stevenson, who earned a much-needed stoppage following recent pedestrian points victories over Artem Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) and Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs). The left-handed Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs), a three-division champion from Newark, New Jersey — and Uncrowned's No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter heading into Saturday's card — fought for the first time since he underwent surgery to repair damage to his right hand in September. He hopes his dominant win over Padley (15-1, 4 KOs) helps him finally land the showdown he wants with WBA lightweight champ Gervonta 'Tank' Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), who will defend his title against Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view main event Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Adames deserved better than a split draw because the Dominican veteran did more than enough to beat an overhyped British prospect in their 12-round, 160-pound championship match. The WBC middleweight champion consistently connected with the cleaner, more effective punches against a much taller opponent whose injured jab hand partially prevented him from using one of his best weapons. The 30-year-old Adames also took Sheeraz's punches well in a fight he won on only one scorecard. Judge Barry Lindenman scored 10 rounds for Adames, who won 118-110 on his card. Judge Guido Cavalleri somehow scored their fight for the 25-year-old Sheeraz, 115-114, whereas Omar Mintun Sr. had it a draw, 114-114. The official outcome notwithstanding, there is no need for a rematch because Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) undoubtedly proved his superiority over the 6-foot-3 Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs). Ortiz's discipline and consistent aggression enabled him to build a big lead over the first nine rounds against Madrimov, who tested pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford in his previous fight six months earlier at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The undefeated Ortiz wasn't spectacular. He did fight through a damaged nose, kept Madrimov mostly on his back foot for three quarters of their 12-round, 154-pound fight for Ortiz's WBC interim super welterweight title, and took Madrimov's most damaging punches without incident six months after Ukraine's Sergii Bohachuk dropped him twice in a highly competitive fight Ortiz won by majority decision. Cavalleri (115-113), Lindenman (115-113) and Kevin Parker (117-111) scored the action for Ortiz, who went the distance for just the second time as a pro (23-0, 21 KOs). Uzbekistan's Madrimov lost for just the second time professionally (10-2-1, 7 KOs). He employed an odd strategy in that he was reluctant to engage until the 10th round, by which point it was too late to come back on the scorecards. Ortiz owes Bohachuk a rematch, though not contractually. There are other options for the Texas native, however, in a stacked 154-pound division that could make him explore avenues aside from a second fight with Ukraine's Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs). Zhang got off to a fast start in the opening round and landed an array of power punches that made it look like he might take out Kabayel early, as the huge Chinese southpaw had promised. Germany's Kabayel came back strong in the second round, though, and stood his ground against an opponent whose straight lefts and right hooks wrecked Joe Joyce in their two fights in 2023. Once Kabayel began landing body shots on Zhang, the 6-foot-6, 287-pound former WBO interim champion became less effective. Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs), who implored Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs) to attack his body the way Kabayel did in knocking out Arslanbek Makhmudov 14 months ago, couldn't take Kabayel's body attack either. The 41-year-old contender couldn't get up in time from a second knockdown and referee Mark Lyson counted him out at 2:29 of the sixth round. Kabayel's consecutive victories over Russia's Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs), Cuban contender Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and Zhang should secure the WBC interim heavyweight champ a shot at a full title as soon as possible. Smith and Buatsi set a very high bar in the first relevant pay-per-view fight Saturday night in Riyadh. They traded hard, often short shots on the inside for much of a light heavyweight battle that was every bit as fan-friendly as the main event between Bivol and Beterbiev. Buatsi (19-1, 13 KOs) hurt Smith with body shots during the third round, before Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) battered Buatsi to the head and body in what was a one-sided sixth round until Buatsi buzzed Smith with a left hook toward the end. Their 12-round fight for Buatsi's WBO interim light heavyweight title emerged as a definite 'Fight of the Year' candidate that Smith won by unanimous decision. Judges Richard Blouin (115-113) and Antonio Marogna (116-112) reasonably scored Smith the winner of seven and eight rounds, respectively. The scorecard Steve Gray submitted, 119-110 for Liverpool's Smith, seemed way too wide, though the right guy clearly won over London's Buatsi. A rematch would be fun, but Smith, who has lost to only Beterbiev and undisputed super middleweight champ Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, will likely want to fight someone other than Buatsi next. A bout against David Benavidez would make sense since Benavidez, the WBC interim champ and the WBC's mandatory challenger for one of Bivol's belts, won't be able to battle Bivol next because Beterbiev and Bivol are headed for a third meeting.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bivol vs. Beterbiev 2 key takeaways: Dmitry Bivol's instant classic ensures a rubber match must happen
Dmitry Bivol did 'better.' That was how the understated, undisputed light heavyweight champion explained his career-defining performance to DAZN's Chris Mannix following his majority decision victory over Artur Beterbiev in their immediate rematch Saturday night. Bivol was much better than 'better' during their second fight — and markedly better than he was four months earlier — courageously giving fans an unforgettable conclusion to a stacked pay-per-view show, 'The Last Crescendo,' at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It sure seemed during the third, fourth, fifth and sixth rounds that the aggressive, stronger Beterbiev would wear down Bivol both mentally and physically with his relentless pressure, hard head shots and a firm commitment to body punching. Bivol's movement kept him at a safe enough distance sometimes to prohibit Beterbiev from overwhelming Bivol with his punishing power. In the eighth round, however, Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) did more than simply employing a strategy that would help him avoid getting knocked out. The resilient Russian went on the attack and completed a role reversal that enabled him to start landing the more impactful punches, just as Beterbiev started showing signs of fatigue. That was the round in which Bivol determined it was then or never. If he were to avenge his lone loss, a majority decision to Beterbiev on Oct. 12 at nearby Kingdom Arena, he had to start taking risks more consistently than he did during the final few rounds of their first fight. The 34-year-old Bivol's incredible conditioning enabled him to do that and allowed a multi-dimensional champion who doesn't say much to make quite a statement in a bout fought at a frenetic pace by both boxers. He threw punches in combinations, exchanged with his heavier-handed rival in spots, moved out of harm's way when necessary and convinced two judges that he deserved to have his hand raised this time. Judges Deon Dwarte (115-113) and Mike Fitzgerald (116-112) respectively scored seven and eight rounds for Bivol, who won the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC, WBO and Ring magazine belts from Beterbiev. Judge Jean-Robert Laine gave Bivol and Beterbiev six rounds apiece and had it a draw, 114-114. 'I'm just so happy,' Bivol told Mannix. 'I went through a lot last year. … To be honest, I lost and I feel a bit easier maybe; I didn't pressure [myself] too much this time, like before the last fight. I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. And I hoped I did enough, and I won it.' Whomever you had winning, the strategic yet thoroughly entertaining nature of their dramatic back-and-forth fight left fans much more excited about a potential rubber match than their rematch. Their first fight, which Beterbiev won by majority decision, was an elite-level tactical battle, but not as action-packed as the instant classic they produced in the main event Saturday night. Beterbiev didn't dispute the scoring that left the Russian knockout artist with the first defeat on his professional record (21-1, 20 KOs). 'I don't want to talk about the decision,' Beterbiev said. 'I congratulate Bivol, Bivol's team. "I don't know [what was different from the first fight]. I think this fight was better than the first fight. Now [is] my time to come back.' Before Bivol beat Beterbiev, Joseph Parker, Shakur Stevenson, Carlos Adames (though not officially), Vergil Ortiz Jr., Agit Kabayel and Callum Smith came away winners in fights that fascinated fans to varying degrees as part of this highly anticipated Riyadh Season card, which featured seven championship bouts. Let's dig into the rest. The Congolese contender accepted this difficult fight on about 48 hours' notice, and it showed. Bakole (21-2, 13 KOs) weighed in at a career high of 315 pounds in the early morning hours of Saturday in Riyadh. Less than 24 hours after he touched down in the comfort of a private jet, Parker's right hand in the second round made Bakole completely uncomfortable. That shot caught Bakole on the top of his head and knocked off his equilibrium. Bakole fell flat on his back, and although he beat referee Steve Gray's count, Bakole clearly was in no condition to continue at 2:17 of the second round. New Zealand's Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) didn't hesitate to take this dangerous substitute for Daniel Dubois once the IBF champion was diagnosed with a viral infection Thursday. Now that Parker has knocked out Bakole, and out-pointed Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder in his past three fights, Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) might move toward a lucrative rematch with former unified champion Anthony Joshua rather than rescheduling the Parker bout. England's Padley displayed a huge heart and a sturdy chin in taking punishing punches from Stevenson to his head and body for the better part of nine rounds. Stevenson sent this late replacement for an ill Floyd Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) to the canvas three times during the ninth round, all with body blows. Padley's trainer wisely threw in the towel following the third knockdown to end a completely one-sided showcase for Stevenson, who earned a much-needed stoppage following recent pedestrian points victories over Artem Harutyunyan (12-2, 7 KOs) and Edwin De Los Santos (16-2, 14 KOs). The left-handed Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs), a three-division champion from Newark, New Jersey — and Uncrowned's No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter heading into Saturday's card — fought for the first time since he underwent surgery to repair damage to his right hand in September. He hopes his dominant win over Padley (15-1, 4 KOs) helps him finally land the showdown he wants with WBA lightweight champ Gervonta 'Tank' Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), who will defend his title against Lamont Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) in a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view main event Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Adames deserved better than a split draw because the Dominican veteran did more than enough to beat an overhyped British prospect in their 12-round, 160-pound championship match. The WBC middleweight champion consistently connected with the cleaner, more effective punches against a much taller opponent whose injured jab hand partially prevented him from using one of his best weapons. The 30-year-old Adames also took Sheeraz's punches well in a fight he still only won on one scorecard. Judge Barry Lindenman scored 10 rounds for Adames, who won 118-110 on his card. Judge Guido Cavalleri somehow scored their fight for the 25-year-old Sheeraz, 115-114, whereas Omar Mintun Sr. had it a draw, 114-114. The official outcome notwithstanding, there is no need for a rematch because Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) undoubtedly proved his superiority over the 6-foot-3 Sheeraz (21-0-1, 17 KOs). Ortiz's discipline and consistent aggression enabled him to build a big lead over the first nine rounds against Madrimov, who tested pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford in his previous fight six months earlier at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The undefeated Ortiz wasn't spectacular. He did fight through a damaged nose, kept Madrimov mostly on his back foot for three quarters of their 12-round, 154-pound fight for Ortiz's WBC interim super welterweight title, and took Madrimov's most damaging punches without incident six months after Ukraine's Sergii Bohachuk dropped him twice in a highly competitive fight Ortiz won by majority decision. Cavalleri (115-113), Lindenman (115-113) and Kevin Parker (117-111) scored the action for Ortiz, who went the distance for just the second time as a pro (23-0, 21 KOs). Uzbekistan's Madrimov lost for just the second time professionally (10-2-1, 7 KOs). He employed an odd strategy in that he was reluctant to engage until the 10th round, by which point it was too late to come back on the scorecards. Ortiz owes Bohachuk a rematch, though not contractually. There are other options for the Texas native, however, in a stacked 154-pound division that could make him explore avenues aside from a second fight with Ukraine's Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs). Zhang got off to a fast start in the opening round and landed an array of power punches that made it look like he might take out Kabayel early, as the huge Chinese southpaw had promised. Germany's Kabayel came back strong in the second round, though, and stood his ground against opponent whose straight lefts and right hooks wrecked Joe Joyce in their two fights in 2023. Once Kabayel began landing body shots on Zhang, the 6-foot-6, 287-pound former WBO interim champion became less effective. Zhang (27-3-1, 22 KOs), who implored Kabayel (26-0, 18 KOs) to attack his body the way Kabayel did in knocking out Arslanbek Makhmudov 14 months ago, couldn't take Kabayel's body attack either. The 41-year-old contender couldn't get up in time from a second knockdown and referee Mark Lyson counted him out at 2:29 of the sixth round. Kabayel's consecutive victories over Russia's Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs), Cuban contender Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and Zhang should secure the WBC interim heavyweight champ a shot at a full title as soon as possible. Smith and Buatsi set a very high bar in the first relevant pay-per-view fight Saturday night in Riyadh. They traded hard, often short shots on the inside for much of a light heavyweight battle that was every bit as fan-friendly as the main event between Bivol and Beterbiev. Buatsi (19-1, 13 KOs) hurt Smith with body shots during the third round, before Smith (31-2, 22 KOs) battered Buatsi to the head and body in what was a one-sided sixth round until Buatsi buzzed Smith with a left hook toward the end. Their 12-round fight for Buatsi's WBO interim light heavyweight title emerged as a definite 'Fight of the Year' candidate that Smith won by unanimous decision. Judges Richard Blouin (115-113) and Antonio Marogna (116-112) reasonably scored Smith the winner of seven and eight rounds, respectively. The scorecard Steve Gray submitted, 119-110 for Liverpool's Smith, seemed way too wide, though the right guy clearly won over London's Buatsi. A rematch would be fun, but Smith, who has lost only to Beterbiev and undisputed super middleweight champ Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, will likely want to fight someone other than Buatsi next. A bout against David Benavidez would make sense since Benavidez, the WBC interim champ and the WBC's mandatory challenger for one of Bivol's belts, won't be able to battle Bivol next because Beterbiev and Bivol are headed for a third meeting.
