Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) might have been the reigning IBF champion going into tonight’s PBC on Prime main event, but he was considered to be the clear underdog by most observers and the betting odds. That proved to be completely wrong, however, as Murtazaliev blitzed Tim Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs) in short order, dropping him four times in less than three full rounds to force a corner stoppage.
The first round wasn’t much to speak of, with Murtazaliev using an active jab to establish his superior range. Things would quickly heat up in the second round, however, with both fighters showing a willingness to trade and Murtazaliev find a way to the target quicker, landing a big left to drop Tszyu hard in the second. Tszyu would make it back to his feet but Murtazaliev would follow that up by dropping Tszyu twice more in the second, with Tszyu barely escaping the round.
The third round started with the ringside physician examining Tszyu and clearing him to continue, but Tszyu still didn’t have his legs fully recovered from the damage done and Murtazaliev would floor Tszyu once more. Tszyu would again get to his feet but Murtazaliev would jump back on him, hit him with more big shots with Tszyu reeling on the ropes before the white towel was thrown in from Tszyu’s corner, ending the fight at the 1:55 minute mark.
This would mark a huge win for Murtazaliev, who was already a champion but really validated himself against the most notable opponent of his career. Conversely this was a big setback from Tszyu, who now has lost two straight and will have to head back to the drawing board.
- Mateo Tapia D-10 Endry Saavedra
The PBC on Prime opener was a good one, setting the tone with a ton of back and forth action between Mateo Tapia (17-0-1, 10 KOs) and Endry Saavedra (16-1-1, 13 KOs). Tapia got off to the better start but would see the momentum of the fight change abruptly in the third round when get got dropped twice by Saavedra.
Tapia would manage to survive and then walk Saavedra into a big shot in the fifth round to regain some momentum. Saavedra, however, wouldn’t be deterred and continued to pressure Tapia and eventually scored another knockdown in the ninth round. It wasn’t enough on the official scores, however, with the judges turning in a majority draw on scores of 94-92 Tapia, and two even cards of 93-93.
- Yoenis Tellez TKO-7 Johan Gonzalez
Yoenis Tellez (9-0, 7 KOs) withstood a fast start from Johan Gonzalez (35-4, 34 KOs) and weathered that early storm to see Gonzalez fade by the middle rounds where Tellez would start breaking him down. Once Gonzalez could no longer fight at the pace he started at, Tellez would place looping hooks and sneaking uppercuts that would start getting to Gonzalez, sending him to the canvas for the first time in the sixth round.
In the seventh round it was clean Gonzalez wasn’t the same fighter, and Tellez would drop him twice more, the latter of which caused the referee to immediately step in to call a halt to the fight at the 1:57 mark.