Kazakh boxer Ali Akhmedov scored a stoppage victory at a tournament in Almaty to claim the interim belt of the International Boxing Organization (IBO), reports infohub.kz.
The 31-year-old headlined the fight card, facing South African Asemahle Wellem. The scheduled 12-round bout ended in the third round by technical knockout. Akhmedov knocked down his opponent twice in the second round.
This victory marked the Kazakh's third straight win and earned him the status of interim world champion in the light heavyweight division (up to 79.4 kg) by the IBO. Overall, Akhmedov has 26 wins (18 by knockout) and two stoppage losses on the professional circuit. Wellem suffered his third career defeat against 11 wins (six by knockout) and one draw.
At the same event, Kazakh boxer Armat Armanuly stopped Russia's Kharona Zapolsky in the fifth round to win the WBA Asia regional title in the middleweight division (up to 72.6 kg). Yelshat Nygmetolla defended his similar belt in the bantamweight division (up to 53.5 kg), winning by unanimous decision over the Philippines' Benny Canete. In the co-main event, Kazakh Bek Nurmaganbet knocked out Russia's Artysh Lopsan in the fifth round in the super middleweight division (up to 76.2 kg).