Elif Nur Turham claimed the IBF lightweight title with a fifth round stoppage win over Beatriz Ferreira in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
The hard-hitting Turham, 30, announced herself as perhaps the most entertaining fighter in women’s boxing with a sensational battering of champion Ferreira. Turkey’s Tuham, now 12-0 (8 KOs), showed the experienced Ferreira little respect, and immediately launched a ferocious attack at the 32 year old Brazilian. Turham’s punches were wild, but Ferreira just could not deal with intensity and the power of Turham’s punches. A right hand clipped the top of Ferreira’s head and she crumbled to the floor. The referee Diana Drews Milani strangely did not award Turham a knockdown, and Ferreira climbed to her feet, but looked unsteady. Turham immediately lunged in with another ferocious attack and again clipped the head of Ferreira with a right hand. Ferreira dropped to her knees and this time it was counted by the referee, Berreira again bravely fought on, and luckily for her there were just seconds left of the first for her to survive.
The second round was also tough for Ferreira, who just had no answer to Turham’s wild style. Ferreira backed on to the ropes after another vicious attack from Turham and was hurt again by a clubbing right hand. The third was a little better for Ferreira who started to use her boxing skills that had earned her bronze and silver Olympic medals, but her success did not last long. Turham had Ferreira hurt badly again in the fourth, the Turk could sense Ferreira was ready to be taken out, but got a little too carried away, and was warned for being too physical. Turham did not have to wait long for the stoppage, however, as early into the fifth a wild right hand again had Ferreira hurt badly. The Brazilan backed away into the corner but that was music to Turham’s ears. Turham wildly unloaded on Ferreira and planted a left hand on the champion that spun her chin. Turham then followed it up with a hard right hand that spun Ferreira’s chin back the other way and finished her off with another left. Ferreira hit the canvas, and again bravely climbed up, but the referee Milani had seen enough, and waved off the contest at 1:08 of Round 5. Ferreira fell to 8-1 (2 KOs) with the first defeat of her professional career.
Before then, Johnny Fisher returned to winning ways with a fourth round stoppage win over Ivan Balaz, now 7-1 (5 KOs). The popular heavyweight was fighting for the first time since his devastating knockout defeat to Dave Allen back in May. Fisher, 26, had talked in the week of getting back to what made him successful and taking the fight to Balaz, 29. That is exactly what he did, and came charging at Balaz in the first round. Fisher was reckless, however, and was hurt badly by a right hand that forced him to hold on. Fisher survived the round but would be hurt again in the second, and it looked as though it could be curtains for the heavyweight from Romford, England. Luckily for Fisher he managed to pull things together, and downed Balaz in the fourth with a right hand. Balaz would take two more trips the canvas in the fourth before the referee waved off proceedings. Fisher, now 14-1 (11 KOs), is back on course with a win, but his performance will certainly raise questions.
