Given the manner in which he suffered his lone career defeat, Batyr Akhmedov was determined to jump out to a quick start in his latest fight while taking it out of the hands of the judges.
It was mission accomplished on all fronts, as the Uzbekistan-born southpaw stopped Philippines’ Rey Perez in the 1st round of their FS1-televised opener Sunday evening live from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
Akhmedov scored two knockdowns, the latter of which produced the ending at 2:19 of round one.
The televised appearance was the first piece of ring action for Akhmedov—who represented Turkey in the 2016 Olympics—since a debated 12-round decision defeat to Mario Barrios in their secondary junior welterweight title fight last September at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Akhmedov suffered two knockdowns but was still believed by many observers to have deserved the nod.
The services of judges Sergio Caiz, Don DeVerges and Dr. Lou Moret were not needed. Akhmedov forced an aggressive pace from the opening bell, particularly merciless to the body which produced both knockdowns. Perez (24-12) was floored midway through the round, strangely from a left had to the elbow. Perez rose from the canvas at the count of nine though was better off just letting referee Thomas Taylor count to ten.
Akhmedov closed the show moments later, a flurry of shots capped by a right hook to the body which prompted Taylor to wave off the contest.
Akhmedov advances to 8-1 (7KOs) and remains in the hunt for a rematch with Barrios, though highly unlikely to come before year’s end. Nevertheless, a second title shot will remain in the future of the 29-year old contender.
The bout served as the televised opener of a three-fight FS1 telecast preceding a PBC on Fox card headlined by Yordenis Ugas (25-4, 12KOs) versus Abel Ramos (26-3-2, 20KOs) in a secondary welterweight title fight.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
