Subriel Matias stopped Shohjahon Ergashev in round six with a dominant performance to keep his IBF super lightweight title.

It was not the best start from the champion as Ergashev landed a left hand that buzzed Matias, who was pushed back on the ropes following a strong body shot. The Uzbek had no fear as he pushed Matias into a defensive position. That left the champion, with a lot to ponder with Ergashev’s uppercut and jab doing the damage.

Ergashev Starts Well

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Despite this being the case, the champion finally responded. In the third round, he walked down Ergashev. And the results of that showed in round four. Matias landed numerous combinations, with Ergashev helpless on the ropes. The latter slowed down in the fifth, which forced the corner to stop the fight just two seconds into the sixth. 

Matias Responds

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Post-Fight Comments

"When I started feeling [Ergashev’s] punches in the first round, I knew he didn’t have the power to knock me out. That’s when I started attacking. For left-handed southpaw fighters, I just need three or four rounds to decipher them. Then, what happened tonight, usually happens. Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, if you want that (his IBF belt), come over here and fight," Matias said

"I felt a pain and wasn’t able to move. I just couldn’t move around the ring in the last two rounds. Once I got hurt, I wasn’t able to display any offense, and I couldn’t use my defense because once my legs gave out on me, I couldn’t stick to the game plan. I wasn’t able to move around the ring and use angles like I did in the first two rounds,’ Ergashev said

Roach Upsets Garcia

Lamont Roach caused an upset with a split-decision win over Hector Garcia to become the new WBA super featherweight champion.

Garcia had a lot on the line, given that he was seeking to avenge his loss to Gervonta Davis at lightweight in his last fight. The opening rounds were cagey, with both boxers trying to figure each other out. It was Roach who was pressing the action while Garcia appeared content to counter his opponent as he fought going backwards.

In the first six rounds, it was Roach who was landing the crisper shots to the head and midsection. Garcia resorted to hitting back towards the body in an attempt to slow down his opponent. The gained a foothold in the fight as the Dominican connected with his counters. Despite that momentum, Roach fought back in the eighth. The former landed a two-punch combination with a strong eighth round, as the same success continued in the ninth. Both fighters then traded on the ropes, with Garcia almost buckling on the ropes in the eleventh.

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But the key moment arrived in the twelfth round. Roach sent Garcia to the canvas with a left hook, which ultimately proved decisive on the cards, even with the Dominican complaining that he was hit on the back of the head. The judges scored it as follows: 114-113, 114-113 and 116-111.

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Post-Fight Comments

"Man, I’ve been waiting to hear ‘And the new’ for a long time. It’s about time though,” Roach said. “All I needed was the spotlight. The first time I was a baby – I was 24 years old. Now I’m seasoned. I don’t think anyone can beat me. Nobody," Roach

"I thought I won the fight, but that’s what happens when you leave it in the judges’ hands. That last round made all the difference. The punch that knocked me down was to the back of my head, but I guess the ref didn’t notice it. I should have been more aggressive and thrown more punches, but [Roach] just wouldn’t let me and the fight was a grind throughout. I’m not about to lose hope. I’m gonna recover and come back stronger than ever," Garcia

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