The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium witnessed a monumental evening of boxing history on Friday night as the city hosted its first-ever heavyweight world championship bout. In the main event of IBA Pro 13: Night of Champions, Russian powerhouse Murat Gassiev delivered a spectacular sixth-round knockout against Bulgarian veteran Kubrat Pulev to claim the WBA ‘regular’ heavyweight world title.
The decisive moment arrived with surgical precision as Gassiev connected with a perfectly timed left hook that sent Pulev crashing to the canvas. The arena momentarily fell silent before erupting in celebration, particularly from the substantial Russian contingent in attendance. Pulev, a 44-year-old former world title challenger against elite opponents including Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua, attempted to beat the count but found his legs unresponsive, ending his championship aspirations.
Early rounds had seen Pulev controlling the tempo behind his piston-like jab, effectively keeping the younger Gassiev at distance. However, the former unified cruiserweight champion gradually shifted momentum through calculated body work that weakened Pulev’s foundation. A brief resurgence in the fifth round saw Pulev pin Gassiev against the ropes, but the reprieve proved temporary.
With this victory, Gassiev improves his professional record to 33-2 with 26 knockouts, positioning himself prominently within the heavyweight title landscape and potentially setting up future clashes with Oleksandr Usyk or rising British prospect Moses Itauma.
The undercard featured multiple compelling narratives, including Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, securing a unanimous decision victory over Dubai-based Jeremiah Sserwadda. Walsh demonstrated refined technical skills and ring intelligence reminiscent of his legendary grandfather while competing before a star-studded audience that included Manny Pacquiao, Terrence Crawford, and Deontay Wilder.
Indian boxing celebrated a significant milestone as Faizan Anwar maintained his undefeated record (21-0) with a disciplined points victory against Khuseyn Baysangurov. The Kolkata-born, Dubai-based fighter represents the growing international boxing scene developing within the UAE.
Additional notable results included Tajikistan’s Olympic medalist Bakhodur Usmonov edging former IBO champion Maxi Hughes, while Russia’s Vadim Musaev captured the IBO welterweight title with a third-round stoppage of Tulani Mbenge. The event concluded with France’s Estelle Mossely earning a unanimous decision victory over Ellen Simwaka in the women’s feature bout.