By Alexey Sukachev

France - With a couple of crushing kayo losses to reigning multi-title light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (KO 3) and talented up-an-comer (of the Ukraine Olympic squad) Alexander Gvozdyk (KO 2), formerly world-rated Frenchman Nadjib Mohammedi was in bad need of a positive result.

He got one by scoring a workmanlike unanimous decision over tough and willing but limited Ukrainian opponent Roman Shkarupa (27-6-2, 11 KOs) in a minor title twelve-rounder.

Final scores were: 118-110, 118-110, and 119-110 - all in favour of Mohammedi who acquired a vacant WBC Frankophone super middleweight title, one division to the south of his former weight class. Mohammedi is now 38-5, 23 KOs.

Undefeated, hard-hitiing Belgian cruiserweight Ryad Merhy improved his record to 20-0, 17 KOs, with the sixth-round stoppage of well-travelled Georgian journeyman Giorgi Tevdorashvili (26-20-4, 16 KOs). Merhy is rated #11 by the WBA.

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WBC #5 and IBF #10 bantamweight Karim Guerfi (25-3, 7 KOs) stayed busy with a unanimous decision over Mexican Import Alexander Cazares (13-7, 6 KOs) in a non-title eight-rounder. Guerfi is a reigning European bantamweight titleholder.

Other results:

Myriam Dellal (14-5-3, 2 KOs) UD 10 Elfi Philips (8-4-3, 3 KOs). Scores: 98-92, 98-92, 97-93

Yahya Tlaouziti (11-1-3, 4 KOs) D 6 Patrick Momene Mokamba (4-17-4, 2 KOs). Scores: 57-57 (x3)

Ludovic David (5-2, 1 KO) TKO 3 Jozsef Kormany (18-26, 5 KOs).