Bektemir Melikuziev edges Darius Fulghum in grueling super middleweight title eliminator

The fight, which headlined a Golden Boy Promotions card on DAZN, was a showcase of two of the promoter’s best 168-pound fighters — with the winner potentially moving a step closer to a showdown with undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez.

Melikuziev (16-1, 10 KOs), known for his relentless style and nicknamed “The Bully,” started the bout cautiously but turned up the pressure in the second round with powerful left hands and a thudding body shot. The Uzbek southpaw and 2016 Olympic silver medalist controlled the third round with sharp footwork and aggressive combinations, pushing Fulghum onto the back foot.

However, Fulghum (14-1, 12 KOs), a rising American star, wasn’t intimidated. In the fifth round, he turned the tide by landing uppercuts that bloodied Melikuziev’s nose, showing grit and resilience. Melikuziev answered back late in the round with a heavy left hand that rattled Fulghum.

The back-and-forth action continued through the middle rounds. Fulghum had a strong sixth with steady body work, but Melikuziev’s point deduction in the seventh for excessive holding added tension to the scorecards. Both fighters had their moments in a close eighth round that included a clash of heads, resulting in swelling near Melikuziev’s cheek.

Fulghum appeared to outwork Melikuziev in the ninth with a volume of body shots, but the Uzbek regained control in the tenth. The 11th round was a wild slugfest, with both fighters trading big punches and eventually falling to the canvas — not from knockdowns, but sheer exhaustion.

In the final round, Melikuziev sealed the win by dropping Fulghum with a sharp left hand just 20 seconds in. Though Fulghum quickly got back up and finished the fight, that key moment made the difference in such a razor-thin contest.

After the final bell, both fighters raised their hands in victory, but it was Melikuziev whose hand was raised officially.