Italian Olympian Guido Bianello picked up the most important win of his career by beating Arslanbek Makhmudov, the same evening Christian Mbili earned an eighth-round TKO win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
Vianello and Makhmudov met nearly a decade ago at the World Series of Boxing, with Vianello retiring in the fourth round with an ear injury. This time things were different.
From the opening stanza, Vianello quickly threw several right hands. But the straight right hand was decisive, and by the third round, Mahmudov's left eye was swollen.
Italy's Guido Vianello recorded the most important win of his career so far against Arslanbek Mahkmudov.
Mahkhmudov's left eye remained swollen through the third round.
Makhmudov tried to leave the ring despite his impaired vision, but was penalized with a point for a punch to the back of the head in round 6. Vianello landed on the outside in round 7. Makhmudov's gloves touched the canvas, but it was not ruled a knockdown.
In the top of the eighth, doctors determined that Mahmudov could no longer continue training.
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Cuba's Oles Iglesias made quick work of Ghanaian veteran Sena Agbeko in their super middleweight bout, knocking him out in the first round and stopping him in the second.
“I'm a competitor now. I'm ready for world class competition and I proved it tonight,” Vianello said.
“I thought I beat Efe Azagba and I came into this fight with a lot of confidence. I was in the best shape of my career and it showed tonight. I took him down and knocked him out.
“I just had to stay calm. There were knockdowns that weren't called, but I knew if I stuck to my strategy I could get a knockout.”
Vianello ultimately kept his composure to secure the win via TKO.
Meanwhile, Mbili defeated three-time world title challenger Derevyanchenko by unanimous decision in 10 rounds.
Ranked in the top three by every major sanctioning body, Mbili has been relentless in throwing bombs from all angles since the first inning.
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20-year-old lightweight Abdullah Mason knocked Mike Ohan Jr. to the canvas with a perfectly timed left uppercut, earning a second-round TKO.
Derevyanchenko tried to box from the outside, but in the third round he injured his left biceps and had to fight with only one hand. In the fifth round, the 38-year-old Ukrainian countered with a series of right hands, but Mbili's youth and strength overwhelmed him, and he struggled to finish the fight on his feet.
Mbili remained undefeated with records of 100-90, 99-91, 98-92.
In the heavyweight co-feature of the night, Frenchman Christian Mbilli dominated Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
“I had a problem with my left hand and couldn't raise it. I had to throw punches. It was difficult, but I had to do my best,” Mbili said.
“He's a warrior. He was in a tough spot, but he fought. I'm going to go home and watch the fight again.
“Right now, I'm ready for a big fight. I want to be a world champion. I know that to be the best, you have to beat the best. I don't want to reveal names, but everyone knows who's No. 1. I want to fight No. 1.”
Ukraine's Derevyanchenko fought hard in the competition but clearly came in second place.
“My legs were fine,” Derevyanchenko said. “I only had one arm. I had to move. When I stayed, he would throw combination punches.
“He's a good boxer, a strong boxer. But if I had two hands, I think it would be different.”
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