Bektemir Melikuziev Edges Darius Fulghum in Thrilling WBA Title Eliminator
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 31 May 2025
In a high-stakes WBA super middleweight title eliminator at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Bektemir "Bek the Bully" Melikuziev (16-1, 10 KOs) secured a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Darius Fulghum (14-1, 12 KOs). All three judges scored the bout 114-112 in favor of Melikuziev, marking a significant step toward a potential title shot for the Shoimbek, Uzbekistan native.
The bout was a showcase of resilience and tactical adjustments from both fighters. Melikuziev started strong, utilizing his signature body shots and left hands to control the early rounds. However, Fulghum responded in the middle rounds, landing effective uppercuts and targeting Melikuziev's body, which led to a bloody nose for the Uzbek southpaw .
A pivotal moment occurred in the seventh round when Melikuziev was penalized a point for excessive holding. Despite this setback, he regained momentum in the later rounds. In the 12th round, Melikuziev delivered a decisive body-head combination that sent Fulghum to the canvas for the first time in his career, effectively sealing the victory.
According to CompuBox, Melikuziev landed 170 of 442 punches, while Fulghum connected on 169 of 407. The fight featured several rounds where the difference in landed punches was minimal, highlighting the evenly matched nature of the contest. Melikuziev had a slight edge in power punches and body shots, which proved crucial in the judges' scoring.
Undercard Highlights
• The event also featured notable performances on the undercard. In the co-main event, Eric Priest (16-0, 8 KOs) delivered a dominant unanimous decision win over veteran Luis Arias (22-5-1, 11 KOs), with scores of 99-90, 99-90, and 96-93.
• Joshua Edwards def. Alexander Rhodes (R1, 2:08)
Federico Pacheco Jr def. Calvin Barnett by unanimous decision (58-55, 58-55, 58-55)
• Cayden Griffiths def. Edgar Gutierrez by KO (R4, 1:15)
Prelims
• Grant Flores def. Brandon Diaz-Campos by TKO (R5)
• Santiago Dominguez def. John Vincent Moralde by KO (R1)
• Daniel Garcia def. George Camilo Rodriguez Pardo by unanimous decision
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Full Fight Card Revealed
Wed, 20 Aug 2025Sadam Ali's career highlight: Defeating Terence Crawford to become 2008 U.S. Olympian
Wed, 20 Aug 2025Irish amateur star Jim Donovan to make pro debut on Sept. 13th Outdoors at Windsor Park in Belfast
Wed, 20 Aug 2025Boxer and Philanthropist Boyd Melson Awarded Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by President Joe Biden
Wed, 20 Aug 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 18 AUGUST 2025: Itauma Stops Whyte in 1; Ball Outpoints Goodman; Hrgovic Decisions Adeleye; Yaqubov Defeats Foster
By Eric Armit, Tue, 19 Aug 2025Is Gilas Relying Too Much on Fil-Fors, Naturalised Players at Expense of Locals?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 19 Aug 2025YOELVIS "LA JOYA" GOMEZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Tue, 19 Aug 2025Efren "Bata" Reyes Yalin 10-Ball Championship offers a total pot prizes of P2 million to the winners
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 19 Aug 2025Llover nears IBF title shot
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 19 Aug 2025Basil fights Escriber for vacant interim PBF light flyweight on Aug. 23
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 19 Aug 2025James Perkins crowned the new WBC U.S. Silver Light Heavyweight title
Tue, 19 Aug 2025Team USA Travels to England for 2025 World Boxing Championships Preparation Camp
Tue, 19 Aug 2025Peter Kahn Signs Undefeated Super Flyweight Juanmita Lopez DeJesus To Managerial Contract
Tue, 19 Aug 2025Cortejos to face unbeaten Fitzgerald for Australian light title
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 19 Aug 2025SEBASTIAN "EL TRUENO" JUAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Tue, 19 Aug 2025