Moscow, Russia - Former amateur standout Bakhodur Usmonov of Tajikistan made a frenetic pro debut in a FOTY-like slugfest with undefeated and determined lightweight Vildan Minasov (4-1, 3 KOs).

Being dropped hard in the first, the Tajik fighter showed tremendous character to turn back the tide and took a majority decision in a six-rounder. No scores were announced but BoxingScene had it 57-56 - for Usmonov, marking one round even.

Former Asian amateur champion Usmonov, met his match in a hard-nosed Miass native, who immediately started to walk the Tajik down. Usmonov, a pro newbie, failed to adapt quick enough and paid a dear price by being dropped hard with a right cross at the end of the first.

With his nose bleeding, Usmonov was under heavy fire in the second round but stood his ground, exchanging hard combinations with Minasov. This round was as good as it gets but the next one was much-much better. The third stanza should be rated as arguably the best round of 2020 in Russia and quite possibly as a strong candidate for the Round of the year award worldwide. Both fighter just can't stop delivering heavy blows from all possible directions but Usmonov, despite bleeding and huge punishment, found something inside him to adjust to his opponent. Minasov developed a cut over his left eye in process.

Round four was also high-octane but it was marred for Minasov as he was deducted a point by referee Yuri Koptsev for continuously spitting out his mouthpiece. Both boxers fought to the core in the fifth but Usmonov was definitely taking over with his body blows and fast combinations. In the sixth the fight was going only Bakhodur's way. Usmonov landed several hard shots but failed to drop Minasov.

Undefeated Cuban cruiserweight expatriate Lenar Perez scored a come-from-behind stoppage of Igor Vilchitskiy (4-2, 1 KOs) at 2:06 of the fourth round. Perez, 22, disappointed in the opening round, continuously missing and being tagged cleanly by his opponent. Vilchitskiy took a majority of blows on his high guard, ducked under the slow but heavy punches of Perez and landed his uppercut in return.

By the third Perez had a blood mask on his face, was gassing out and - to make things even worse - he was deducted a point by the referee for spitting out his mouthpiece three times in a row.

As he was on the verge of being soundly upset, Perez took all his will and made one last surge in the sixth. Vilchitskiy ate some hard blows and went into survival mode. Finally, Perez found a room for a very big left hook to the liver, and down went Vilchitskiy for the count. Perez improves to 9-0, 9 KOs, but still is very much a work in progress.

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Light welterweight Georgia-born Armenian Avak Uzlyan (5-0, 2 KOs) looked solid but couldn't stop no-hoper Vladislav Stepanov (0-4-1) within scheduled six rounds.

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Towering southpaw welterweight Alexander Tibilov (9-0, 6 KOs) was consistently better than late sub Alexey Tukhtarov (4-16-3, 3 KOs) but failed to stop his durable opponent.

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In a battle of two undefeated Siberian welterweights, Tikhon Netesov was the aggressor but it didn't help him against a bit less powerful but more refined Dmitry Kulakov (3-0-1, 1 KO), who scored a unanimous decision over six rounds. Netesov is now 4-1, 2 KOs.