Russia - WBA Gold super middleweight champion Fedor Chudinov (23-2, 16 KOs) scored a dramatic twelfth-round stoppage of the UK-based Nigerian Umar Sadiq (10-2, 6 KOs) to retain his belt for the first time.

In a typical Chudinov performance, both fighters engaged into a prolonged trench warfare with slow, punishing exchanges for a majority of the fight. Despite landing more, Umar Sadiq was hardly the winner in such an approach. Chudinov ate more but smothered Sadiq’s offensive with his high guard, responded with harder blows in return.

Sadiq looked better during the first half but faded slightly after the mid-point. Chudinov fought monotonously but Sadiq’s punch resistance deteriorated with time allowing Chudinov to put his opponent in danger.

Early into the twelfth, Chudinov cornered Sadiq and unleashed a wild flurry of punches, missing more than landing cleanly. Referee Yuri Koptsev intervened in what seemed as an early stoppage but was well justified as the Nigerian collapsed briefly in the corner but thankfully recovered soon.

In what was billed as the main event of the night, famed kickboxing and MMA competitor Sergey Kharitonov, 40, debuted in prizefighting with the second-round stoppage of badly faded 47-year old former heavyweight world-title challenger Danny Williams (54-29, 41 KOs).

Williams was down in the first after a looping left by Kharitonov and was wobbled badly late into the second, refusing to go on. Time was 2:25.

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Super bantamweight Chingiz Natyrov took a big step-up in class by stopping experienced Ukrainian stylist Olexander Gryschuk (16-2, 6 KOs) after four complete rounds. Natyrov gradually overwhelmed and gunned down the former EBU flyweight challenger to the point there was no reason to continue fighting. Natyrov is now 2-0, 2 KOs.

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Belarussian kickboxing stalwart Piotr Romankevich made a frustrating pro boxing, as his Cameroonian opponent Christian Wooapi (0-4) retired in his corner for undisclosed reasons after the first.

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Towering heavyweight Vladimir Ivanov (3-0, 2 KOs) started on a backfoot against pudgy but durable Georgian journeyman Tornike Puritchimiashvili (9-16, 6 KOs) but things started to heat up after several verbal exchanges between Tornike and his opponent and his cornermen. The Georgian showed much heart but poor conditions and reflexes while Ivanov gradually increased his aggression but failed to get the job done within the time limit, earning a unanimous decision.

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In a heavyweight mashup, former multi-time national medalist Sergey Kalchugin knocked out pudgy and slow Bogdan Grevtsov (1-2, 1 KO) with a solid right to the whiskers, which had Bogdan down on his knees at 2:59 of the second round. Kalchugin improves to 5-0, 3 KOs).

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Local amateur standout Vladimir Mironchikov made a thunderous pro debut, knocking out seemingly durable opponent Vitaliy Mikhalev (2-1) with a wicked blow to the body, which forced the undefeated fighter to crumble n severe pain. Time was 2:33 of the first round.

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Young gun David Dzukaev (2-0, 2 KOs) scored his second consecutive TKO win with the second-round obliteration of no-hoper Evgueniy Terushkov (0-8), who was saved from more punishment at 1:04, despite never going down.

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Ten years after his last fight and forty pounds over his previous weight limit, 39-year old former featherweight Emin Aliev, who came in as a very late sub, was predictably stopped in one by stocky cruiserweight Gegam Gukasyan (4-0, 3 KOs). Aliev (now 0-8) had some moments early on but was unable to sustain body punching, which forced a stoppage at 2:13 of the round - Aliev still standing.