Jared Anderson takes out Andriy Rudenko | Shock defeat for Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh
Jared Anderson continues his unbeaten run as he rises through the heavyweight division, stopping Andriy Rudenko in five rounds at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa; Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of Muhammad Ali, suffered a surprise loss to unheralded Sona Akale
Rising heavyweight star Jared Anderson stopped Andriy Rudenko, but the grandson of Muhammad Ali, Nico Ali Walsh, suffered a shock defeat on Saturday night.
Anderson took the 16th victory of his unbeaten professional career and his 15th inside-the-distance win.
Anderson, still just 23 years old, halted Andriy Rudenko in their fifth round at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa.
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He made his ringwalk dressed as Batman, maintaining his habit of unique entrances. Anderson carried his confidence into the fight too. His sharp jabbing and combinations of punches to the body saw him take control in the opening round.
In the third, Anderson teed off with a relentless attack to the body, but Rudenko survived, partly aided by continually clutching the American around the head.
By the fifth round, Rudenko was finally deducted a point. Anderson drove him into the ropes but opened up with fantastic salvoes of unanswered punches. The vicious flurry left Rudenko cowering behind his guard and forced the referee to end the fight at 1:40.
“I’m enjoying the ride, enjoying the fights, and just doing my job,” Anderson said afterwards.
He let his actions speak for themselves rather than issuing a further message to the heavyweight division.
“I was sending a statement to myself. I’m fighting for myself, and I’m fighting for my family. As much as people want to hate on me for it, I’m a realist. I’m going to stay real and be real,” Anderson declared.
“I’m going to say what’s on my mind,” he continued. “I’m going to be myself. And I’m going to be that till the end.”
Sona Akale upset Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, when he scored a majority-decision win after six highly-competitive rounds.
Ali Walsh landed uppercuts and hooks that wobbled Akale, but the Cameroon-born Akale edged rounds based on pressure to secure the victory.
Efe Ajagba handed Zhan Kossobutskiy a first defeat, though did it on a disqualification.
Kossobutskiy tried to cut down the distance between the two by leaning forward with a high guard, throwing occasional arm punches.
In the second round, Ajagba himself landed a low blow before hurting Kossobutskiy with a shot to the chin. However, Kossobutskiy returned the favour with several low blows in the third round and was deducted two points.
Another low blow in the fourth round forced the referee to end matters for good.
Another heavyweight, Olympic gold medallist Bakhodir Jalolov was on the bill. The Uzbekistani, who won super heavyweight gold in Tokyo where he beat Frazer Clarke in the semi-finals, stopped Onoriode Ehwarieme in the first round.
Liam Smith vs Chris Eubank Jr II is live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday September 2. Book it now.
