Sultan Zaurbek announced his arrival on the junior featherweight contender stage.
Key adjustments were made by the unbeaten 28-year-old southpaw to outpoint former title challenger Azinga Fuzile over 10 rounds. Scores were not announced on the ESPN+ telecast, other than to declare Zaurbek the winner on Saturday at Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Zaurbek-Fuzile served as the chief support to the Janibek Alimkhanuly- Anauel Ngamissengue IBF/WBO middleweight title fight.
Zaurbek took control early in the battle of southpaws, as he constantly came forward and fired a heavy right jab. South Africa’s Fuzile employed a tight defense and remained in the pocket in search of an opening for a counter shot.
The first such opportunity came in the third. Fuzile connected with a right hook that caught the attention of the unbeaten Kazakh contender. Zaurbek shook off the blow and came forward with straight left hands down the middle.
Fuzile took his attack downstairs in the fourth. The former title challenger dug in a right hook to the midsection of Zaurbek, who briefly paused before he caught his breath. Fuzile continued to work the body largely behind a stab jab. Zaurbek managed to close the distance and connected with a left hand along the ropes. Fuzile closed the round with a right hook to the chin.
Zaurbek tried to regain momentum in the fifth, but was unable to shut down Fuzile’s subtle movement. The lack of incoming shots allowed Fuzile to measure up his foe and score with a right hook from the outside. Zaurbek was warned for hitting behind the head despite a modest protest which fell on deaf ears.
Fuzile fired his jab to start the sixth. He made a point to step back any time that Zaurbek attempted to respond, which frustrated the unbeaten contender. Zaurbek settled down towards the back end of the round and landed a right hook on the inside. A combination by Zaurbek forced Fuzile on the defense in the closing seconds of the frame.
The constant movement by Fuzile began to work against him in the seventh. Zaurbek found a straight line inside to shorten the distance to his opponent and patiently dodged Fuzile’s winging shots. A stiff right jab snapped back the head of Fuzile near the midway mark.
Zaurbek regained control for good in the eighth. Fuzile was on the move but no longer able to keep his stalking opponent at bay. Zaurbek connected with a chopping left hand that forced Fuzile to retreat. Fuzile stood his ground and attempted to trade in the final minute. Zaurbek was unbothered and all but welcomed the approach as he was constantly within punching range.
Fuzile was clearly out of answers as Zaurbek continued his hunt in the ninth. Zaurbek marched ahead and forced Fuzile into retreat mode with his heavy jab and straight right hand.
Time was called at the start of the tenth and final round, as Zaurbek inadvertently pushed Fuzile to the canvas. He apologized to his opponent and the ring official before action resumed. Zaurbek walked down Fuzile and fired jabs, left hands and the occasional left hook. He waved his arms in the air and drew a rise out of the partisan crowd, who changed ‘Sul-tan’ through the close of the contest.
The win marked the second straight time that Zaurbek, 20-0 (13 KOs), went the full 10-round distance, and fourth time overall in his career. Saturday’s showing was a statement making performance.
Fuzile, 18-3 (12 KOs) snapped a three-fight win streak following a November 2021 unanimous decision defeat to Kenichi Ogawa in their vacant IBF junior featherweight title fight.
PRELIMINARY UNDERCARD RESULTS
Batyr Jukembayev racked up his sixth consecutive victory with a decisive 10-round, unanimous decision over England’s Kane Gardner. Scores were 100-89, 100-89 and 100-90 for the Kazakh-born, Montreal-based Jukembayev, a bubble contender at junior welterweight.
An otherwise complete performance delivered by the 34-year-old southpaw was dampened by his inability to stop the inviting Gardner, 17-5 (7 KOs). Jukembayev, 24-1 (17 KOs)—who now trains with the team headed by renowned coach Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre—was in complete control throughout their contest.
The lone career defeat suffered by Jukembayev came in an eighth-round stoppage to Subriel Matias in their May 2021 IBF title eliminator.
Makhmud Sabyrkhan enhjoyed a successful pro debut with a second-round stoppage of Vietnam’s Duc Dung Huynh, 2-2 (2 KOs).
Shymkent’s Sabyrkhan, 1-0 (1 KO), a 2024 Kazakhstan Olympian, floored Huynh in the opening round, courtesy of a left hook body shot. Two more knockdowns followed in the ensuing frame before the fight was mercifully halted at 2:51 of round two.
Rising prospect Bakhodir Jalolov went the distance for the first time as a pro, upon his return following his second Olympic Gold medal tour.
The unbeaten 6’7” Uzbek heavyweight went all ten-rounds in a dominant unanimous decision victory over Ihor Shevadzutskyi. Scores were 100-89, 97-92 and 97-93 for Jalolov, a Gold medalist during 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris who’d never fought beyond the eighth round.
Saturday marked his first pro bout since August 2023. He spent most of 2024 in preparation for his second medal haul and saw a scheduled bout earlier this year canceled due to an issue with his pre-fight medicals.
Undefeated bantamweight prospect Balaussa Muzdiman, 7-0 (5 KOs) opened the six-fight ESPN+ stream with an eight-round decision over the Philippines’ Maria Theresa Pinili, 7-2 (2 KOs). The fight marked the first time that Almaty’s Muzdiman fought beyond the fourth round.
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