Britain’s fast-rising super-bantamweight star Shabaz Masoud delivered a statement of intent by stopping Yoann Boyeux in Dubai.
The ‘Maverick’ dazzled at Probellum Evolution and bamboozled his hugely experienced French rival, forcing him to quit at the end of the second of 10 scheduled rounds.
Masoud moves to 10-0 with this career-best win and said he wanted to leave his mark on the big stage in the Middle East.
“I came out for the first bell and I was looking for the stoppage – I wanted to make a bit of a statement,”said Masoud, who hails from Stoke-on-Trent.
“I’m ready for step-ups in class now, I’ve been saying that for a long time. I know what I am capable of and my team and my family know what I am capable of.”
Earlier on the stacked card, Bakhodir Jalolov took less than five rounds to cement his status as a future heavyweight champion with a brutal beatdown of Kamil Sokolowski.
The 6’7” Olympic gold medallist scored a knockdown in round two with a cuffing shot that Sokolowski brushed off but the Big Uzbek was repeatedly hurting his Polish opponent with backhands to the body.
At the beginning of round five, Jalolov made a telling breakthrough when his lethal left hand dropped Sokolowski just seconds after the bell.
Further punishment was dished out by a menacing Jalolov and Sokolowski fell to the canvas once more under a barrage of clubbing shots, prompting the referee to step in and bring a halt to the contest at 1:17 of the round five.
“I’m ready to compete with the best in the heavyweight division and I am coming for all of the belts, and I know my time is coming,” Jalolov said after the fight, as he moved to 10-0 as a professional, with as many knockouts.
Jalolov is being primed for a big fight in the United States this summer as he builds towards a shot at the heavyweight crown.
Poland’s Eryk Apresyan opened Probellum Evolution with victory over Burak Akkus, dropping his rival with a body shot.
Sultan Al Nuaimi was next in action at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, and the home fighter out-pointed Tanzania’s Hamza Mchanjo over six rounds.
Tom Hill of the United Kingdom was given the nod by all three ringside judges in his bout with Ireland’s Rohan Date.
Hill, who moves to 10-2 as a professional, dropped his opponent in the sixth round and took the contest 77-75, 77-75 and 76-75.
Joshua Ridgewell dominated a blood-stained super-featherweight contest with India’s Suraj Ram.
Ridgewell, from Essex in England, was in control from the off and moved to 2-0 as a professional when the referee stopped the fight in round three due to a nasty cut above Ram’s right eye.
“After that, I’m very happy,” buzzed Ridgewell.
“I landed some really nice shot and stopped everything he was trying to do.”
Tag: Shabaz Masoud
BRITISH STAR SHABAZ MASOUD HAS NEXT FIGHT CONFIRMED FOR DUBAI
Super slick British prospect Shabaz Masoud will face French opposition when he makes his Probellum debut next month.
The masterful Masoud will look to extend his unblemished record to 10-0 when he takes on the seasoned Yoann Boyeux (43-6) over 10 rounds as part of Probellum Evolution in Dubai on Saturday, March 19.
Masoud – nicknamed ‘Maverick’ – is rated as one of Britain’s hottest talents and the 25-year-old super-bantamweight is set on making a statement against a fighter who clashed with a pound-for-pound star only a few years ago.
The Stoke-on-Trent born switch-hitter signed with Probellum, a global promotion and media company, earlier this month and is ready to show a worldwide audience that the hype around him is real.
“I can’t wait to make my debut for Probellum in Dubai next month,” buzzed the unbeaten Shabaz Masoud.
“My opponent boxed Naoya Inoue back in 2017 and was stopped in three rounds. I’d love to do it quicker than Inoue but, either way, I am definitely going to put on a dazzling display of my skills in Dubai.”
Masoud, who is trained by one of Britain’s most in-demand coaches Ben Davison, has not put a foot wrong since turning professional in 2018 and knows another stand-out display next month will soon have Probellum lining up title shots for him.
“Shabaz is one of the most scintillating prospects, not only in British boxing, but world boxing,” said Richard Schaefer, President of Probellum.
“We are delighted to be able to confirm his first fight with us and we know Shabaz is going to put on a show for those at ringside in Dubai and for everyone at home.
“He’s in with a very experienced guy but Shabaz has made light work of every opponent he’s faced so far – and we expect this to be no different.”
Probellum Evolution is a double-header being staged in Dubai next month, with back-to-back shows headlined by world title fights.
On Friday, March 18, Estelle Mossely makes history when she defends her IBO lightweight crown against Yanina del Carmen Lescano – in the first ever female world title fight staged in the Middle East.
And the following night Sunny Edwards puts his IBF flyweight belt on the line against Muhammad Waseem, with Masoud’s fight part of an exciting undercard.
For ticket news on Probellum Evolution, shows in Newcastle and Liverpool, plus live news and updates, be sure to follow Probellum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
