Astana, Kazakhstan – Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yeleussinov continued his unbeaten professional record in front of a home crowd at the IBA Champions’ Night, taking place at the Beeline Arena in Astana.

On the Kazakhstan vs The Rest of the World fight card, both sides would claim four victories.

Yeleussinov defeated Jabulani Makhense of South Africa in the 71kg main event. Defensive from both athletes, they kept each other at arms’ reach in the early stages. Soon, Yeleussinov applied the pressure to his opponent, minimizing the space in the ring for Makhense to move into.

The South African would retreat and allow shots to come his way while protecting himself, aiming to instead catch Yeleussinov on the counter with swinging overhand hooks. However, the Kazakh barely had to flinch and would send the fans home happy. Both boxers had a warm embrace to conclude a night of exceptional boxing. Yeleussinov’s victory took him to 12 professional fights undefeated.

Second from the top of the card, Russian Khariton Agrba defeated Dulat Bekbauov in the 67kg match. Straight out of the corners, they were ferocious, but it was soon clear one was more comfortable than the other. A sound striker and evasive in defense, Agrba dealt brutish blows in response to attacks from the Kazakh.

By round five, World Championships silver medallist Bekbauov had taken some clear strikes to the face, but was working hard to remain in the contest, the only fight of the night to run for eight rounds. At the end, Agrba had his arm raised.

While Agrba would claim a Russian win, 2019 World Championships gold medallist Bekzat Nurdauletov from Kazakhstan denied another. There was a feeling-out process in the first round of the 80kg fight between home favourite and Nikita Zon but quickly it was the Russian who found success.

Yet, the bout progressed and Zon became complacent on the defence, allowing Nurdauletov to score the crucial points that would secure the victory for him. Both boxers were left with blackened eyes, showing the striking accuracy on display.

WBT Silver Belt Series winner Pavel Fedorov representing Serbia would be another winner for the visitors, in what was a close affair against Serik Temirzhanov in the 63.5kg contest. A fight low on show-stealing moments, the Serbian looked comfortable against his opponent, as Fedorov took his professional record to four victories from four, over the 2021 World Championships silver medallist.

It was an equally-fought bout in the opening rounds of the 71kg contest between Kazakhstan’s 2023 World champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov and Jose Miguel Borrego from Mexico, but it was the visitor that stunned the crowd in an impressive fourth round.

A howitzer of a left hook landed by the Mexican, dropped Shymbergenov and forced a referee’s count. As the fight resumed, Borrego charged in with a clean jab to the face and another one led to the Kazakh corner calling the match off, giving the Mexican boxer the victory.