David Oliver Joyce lands WBO European title
David Oliver Joyce became the new WBO European featherweight champion after defeating Stephen Tiffney on a historic night in Dubai.
A stunning view of the Dubai skyline was the backdrop for the iconic sold out event live on ESPN+ and iFL TV, with HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also in attendance.
Joyce (10-0-KO8) overcame a cut early in the fight to stop Tiffney in the seventh round of their fight, picking up his first title as a professional in the process.
There was a victory for local hero Aliu Lasisi too, who defeated Ricardo Blandon to win the vacant WBC International super-flyweight title.
Unbeaten Lasisi (13-0) won the fight by unanimous decision, with the judges scoring the contest 114-111 on all three scorecards in his favour.
On the undercard, there were also wins for Sultan Zaurbek, Shakhobidin Zoirov, Mateo Tapia, Majid Al-Naqbi, Zuhayr Al-Qahtani and many more on a fantastic night of action.
Ahmed A. Seddiqi of Round 10 Boxing said: “We are really happy with everything that happened. It is a big moment for Dubai and it’s just the beginning for this region.
“We’d like to thank MTK Global for all of the support, along with ESPN+ and Top Rank. Congratulations to all of the fighters as they were all amazing.”
Here’s all you need to know from a special night of boxing:
DAVID OLIVER JOYCE bt STEPHEN TIFFNEY TKO7
WBO European featherweight title
Joyce: “It was an unbelievable performance, so thank you to MTK Global and all of the Dubai people who came out to see it. I was confident going into the fight because I was on weight, and everything was perfect.
“For the past 14 weeks I’ve lived like a professional. For the first time ever I’ve had all of the right meals and the right amount of training and sleep, so I have to credit my nutritionist for getting me in this fantastic shape.”
ALIU LASISI bt Ricardo Blandon
WBC International super-flyweight title
Lasisi: “Ricardo Balndon is a good fighter and was a very tough guy. I thought I would knock him out but he gave me a very good fight.
“I’m very happy to fight in my hometown in front of all of these fans, and I’m pleased to win the WBC International super-flyweight title."
SULTAN ZAURBEK bt Chenghong Tao TKO5
Rising star Zaurbek continued the extremely impressive start to his professional career with another win inside the distance.
Zaurbek was dominant throughout the contest, dropping Tao in round five with a heavy shot which lead to the finish. It means Zaurbek has now won all six of his fights, with four by knockout.
SHAKHOBIDIN ZOIROV bt Anthony Holt TKO1
Exciting star Zoirov sent a huge statement out to the professional ranks after a destructive first round knockout win in his debut.
Zoirov needed just 18 seconds to get the win, knocking down his opponent with a powerful shot, with Holt unable to get to his feet and Zoirov earning a superb victory.
MATEO TAPIA bt Gaganpreet Sharma TKO8
Tapia: “What a fight. I performed on the international stage for the first time, and I don’t know what it was but I felt a bit off. I got the job done though and that’s the most important thing.
“Credit to my opponent because he gave me the fight of my life. It was an honour to be here and represent Australia and Mexico, so thank you to MTK Global and Round 10 for having me on. I want fights like that where I progress and learn.”
MAJID AL-NAQBI bt Vladimir Lytkin TKO4
Al-Naqbi: “I want to thank MTK Global, Round 10 Boxing, Top Rank and ESPN for their full support. It was my first professional fight and it felt different to amateur boxing.
“I’m the second professional boxer from Dubai in history, and that is big for me. It was a brilliant occasion, especially with it being in my hometown, and without these people it wouldn’t be possible. The next step is to go forward and I have big ambitions.”
ABILKHAIYR SHEGALIYEV bt Teimuraz Abuladze TKO1
It was a perfect performance for Shegaliyev as he put in an incredible display to blast away Abuladze inside a round. The Kazakhstan star knocked his opponent down three times on his way to picking up the dominant stoppage win.
ZUHAYR AL-QAHTANI bt Sk Saheb PTS6
Al-Qahtani: “I did relatively well but there is much room for a better performance. He took some good punches and had a good chin, so well done to him as he was a tough, rugged opponent.
“In the future I’m looking to move up in competition and get better challenges and better opposition, and I’m looking to challenge for a title too.”
LARRY ABARRA bt Raymond Commey PTS6
Abarra: “I enjoyed the fight and learned a lot from it. Raymond Commey was an experienced guy and it was a tough fight.
“Every time I looked to counter his punch, he would try to reply with another punch, so I had to make sure I threw more punches than him.”
ANAHIT AROYAN bt Nonnun Sor Praithong PTS4
Aroyan: “Thank you to Round 10 and MTK Global for this opportunity. They gave me a chance and believed in me, and Round 10 are like my second family.
“I trained hard and believed in myself that I would win the fight. It was my fourth fight, and in every fight I think that this is going to be my best fight.”
HASIBULLAH AHMADI bt Manot Comput PTS4
Ahmadi: “I’m humbled that I won, and my opponent was good so I gained a lot of experience from this fight. In my career I want to become world champion.”
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