Tag: WBO

The ending was anticlimactic, though Mizuki ‘Mimi’ Hiruta still left a lasting impression in her U.S. debut.

A clash of heads produced a halt to an otherwise dominant performance by Tokyo’s Hiruta, The Ring’s No. 1 junior bantamweight and WBO titlist who outpointed Maribel Ramirez to defend her belt. Scores were 80-71, 80-71 and 79-72 for Hiruta in their UFC Fight Pass co-feature Friday evening at Commerce Casino in Commerce, California.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs) was all gas, no brakes from the opening bell. The 28-year-old, pink-haired southpaw performed in a control manner, to where she didn’t waste any punches or allow Ramirez to ever establish a rhythm.

Ramirez (15-11-4, 3 KOs) was down twice in the opening round, though both were accurately ruled as slips. The 38-year-old Mexico City native wasn’t as fortunate in round two, when she was floored by a combination.

Hiruta continued to fight in a manner indicative of a defending titlist hopeful of a stoppage victory. Straight lefts landed with regularity but it was a right hand which caused a gruesome cut over Ramirez’s left eye midway through the fight.

Ramirez caught the unlikeliest of breaks from a headbutt late in the seventh round. Hiruta attempted to set up a left hand, but missed with a lead right which cupped the back of Ramirez’s heads and caused the clash. It produced a lump on top of Ramirez’s already existing cut.

The second wound was deemed too severe to continue at the start of the eighth round, which prompted the technical decision.

Hiruta made the third defense of the WBO 115-pound title she claimed in Dec. 2022. All of her previous six fights took place at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo before Friday. The win over Ramirez also marked her first in a new promotional deal with 360 Promotions.

ALI AKHMEDOV BLASTS OUT MALCOLM JONES INSIDE OF TWO

A much-needed walkover night was produced by Ali Akhmedov, who tore through Indianapolis’ Malcolm Jones (17-5-1, 10 KOs).

Kazakhstan’s Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) didn’t waste anytime to take control of the action and closed out the fight with a barrage of punches which left Jones defenseless. Referee Thomas Taylor stopped the contest at 1:17 of round two.

Akhmedov extended his win streak to seven in a row since a Dec. 2020 twelfth-round knockout loss to then-unbeaten Carlos Gongora in Hollywood, Florida.

ROXY VERDUZCO GETS FIRST STOPPAGE, REMAINS PERFECT

Los Angeles’ Iyana ‘Roxy’ Verduzco (3-0, 1 KO) avoided the scorecards for the first time in her young career with a third-round stoppage of Lindsey Ellis (2-2, 2 KOs). A series of straight left shots upstairs left Tennessee’s Ellis unable to defend herself, which forced referee Ray Corona stop the contest at 1:33 of round three.

GLORIA MUNGUILLA OUTLASTS BROOK SIBRIAN IN ALL-ACTION FIGHT

Gloria Munguilla picked up her second consecutive win but had to withstand a stubborn effort from Brook Sibrian (5-2, 2 KOs) to prevail via eight-round, unanimous decision. Scores were 77-75, 77-75 and 79-73 for Los Angeles’ Munguilla (7-1, 0 KOs), whose lone defeat came to Amanda Serrano-managed Krystal Rosado last March.