Johnnie Langston delivered one of the best performances of his workmanlike career, forcing a fifth-round stoppage of Nick Kisner in their cruiserweight bout. Langston scored three knockdowns, the last of which prompted referee George Nichols to wave off the bout at 1:40 of round five Saturday evening on FIte TV Pay-Per-View from W.D. Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio.

The battle of cruiserweight southpaws saw Langston remain a step ahead, though Kisner was well in the fight at least through two rounds. Sarasota’s Langston picked up the pace in round three, punching in combination upstairs while also working the body of Baltimore’s Kisner (22-6-1, 6KOs).

Langston dialed up the pressure in round five, the effects of his punches evident in the reddening on Kisner’s face. Body shots led to a pair of knockdowns in the round, with Kisner beating the count on both occasions though running on fumes by that point. Langston moved in to close the show, with Kisner barely managing to remain upright before an ensuing flurry sent him to the canvas and the fight stopped immediately thereafter.

The win extends a unique three-fight unbeaten streak for Langston (10-3, 4KOs), who previously campaigned at heavyweight before dropping back down to cruiserweight following a third-round knockout loss to 2021 BoxingScene.com Prospect of the Year Jared Anderson in June 2020.  

Dacarree Scott maintained his winning ways with a split decision win over Ahmed Hefny. The ten-round regional heavyweight title fight saw Hefny win 96-94 on one card, overruled by scores of 96-94 and 97-93 in favor of Scott, who claimed something called the NABA Gold heavyweight title.

Action was slow and sloppy throughout the ten-round affair, with little in the way of sustained action or clean punching. Hefny looked to work the fleshy midsection of Scott, landing a right hand to the body in round four. The action was preempted by an unintentional headbutt that left Hefny with a cut outside his left eye.

Scott briefly stunned Hefny with a straight right hand along the ropes in round eight. Hefny remained upright, as he did after taking an ensuing left hook and overhand right moments later. Scott (7-0, 6KOs) outfought Hefny (13-2, 5KOs) the rest of the way, showing deceptive hand speed for his fleshy 276 ½ pound frame.

Tre’Sean Wiggins picked up his first knockout win in nearly six years. The occasion came in the form of a third-round knockout of West Virginia’s Cody Wilson in their welterweight bout. Wiggins scored two knockdowns, the latter of which prompted a stoppage at 1:33 of round three in the opening bout of the evening.

The bout was one-way traffic, with Wiggins jabbing early before letting his hands go. A series of left hands left Wilson wobbled in a corner late in round two, with a body shot causing a delayed reaction knockdown. Wilson (10-4, 7KOs) beat the count and made it to the bell, only for Wiggins (13-5-3, 7KOs) to close the show midway through round three. Wilson hit the deck again, making it to his feet only for an ensuing attack forcing the stoppage.  

Headlining the show, Ilunga ‘Junior’ Makabu (28-2, 25KOs) defends his WBC cruiserweight title versus mandatory challenger Thabiso Mchunu (23-5, 13KOs). The bout is a rematch to their memorable May 2015 clash, which saw Makabu rally from behind to score a dramatic eleventh-round knockout. Makabu will attempt the first defense of his title in Saturday’s main event.

Also on the show, WBA “World” heavyweight titlist Trevor Bryan (21-0, 15KOs) attempts his first title defense versus Louisiana’s Jonathan Guidry (17-0-2, 12KOs), a late replacement for Mahmoud Charr.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox