The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas -  The middleweight division has a new boogeyman, and his name his Janibek "Qazaq Style" Alimkhanuly.

The 2016 Olympian dominated and ultimately stopped former world champion Rob Bravo" Brant in eight rounds to retain his WBC Continental Americas and WBO Global titles.

The southpaw Alimkhanuly (10-0, 6 KOs) found a home for his straight left hand all evening, knocking Brant (26-3, 18 KOs) down in the sixth. After the eighth round, Brant's corner saved their man from additional punishment, capping a one-sided exhibition.

Alimkhanuly said, “Tonight, I showed the world what ‘Qazaq Style’ is about. Rob Brant is a former world champion for a reason, but I came here to showcase my full arsenal, and that’s what I did.

“I am highly ranked, and I have the confidence to fight any middleweight in the world. I had a great training camp with Buddy McGirt, and this was the result of all the hard work we did in camp.” 

Also on the card, welterweight contender Giovani Santillan (27-0, 15 KOs) decisioned Cecil McCalla (23-5, 10 KOs) with scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 78-74. Santillan fought for the first time in more than a year and shook off the ring rust with a workmanlike decision over McCalla, a Maryland native who had won two straight entering the fight. 

Bantamweight Luis Fernando Saavedra  (9-6, 3 KOs) picked up an upset six round decision over Robert Rodriguez (9-1-1, 5 KOs), with scores of 60-54 2x and 59-55.  Saavedra, from Mexico, knocked off his second undefeated prospect in as many fights, out-hustling the Robert Garcia-trained Rodriguez to win a clear decision. Rodriguez was coming off a pair of devastating knockouts last year inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble.