Radivoje Kalajdzic transformed Craig Richards' much‑anticipated return to London into a nightmarish setback. Richards, stepping back into his hometown for the first time since 2024, had hoped to revive his standing in the heavyweight title chase.
Instead, the Serbian powerhouse, known as "Hot Rod," imposed his will from the opening bell and ultimately secured a unanimous decision, punctuated by a crushing knockdown in the final seconds of the bout. The ten‑round contest was a roller‑coaster of momentum swings. In the sixth round, Kalajdzic landed a series of hard shots that rocked Richards, causing him to stumble and lose his balance. The Serbian fighter pressed his advantage, unleashing a flurry that left Richards visibly shaken.
Yet the British boxer, nicknamed "Spider," demonstrated resilience, digging deep and rallying with renewed determination. He began to dictate the pace, especially in the later rounds, using crisp body hooks and sharp head crosses to keep Kalajdzic at bay. In the ninth round, Richards appeared to have seized control.
He peppered Kalajdzic with well‑timed combinations, moving fluidly from one end of the ropes to the other, and seemed to be building a decisive lead. However, Kalajdzic answered with a vicious counter‑attack.
He slipped inside Richards' guard and unleashed a rapid combination that landed cleanly on the Serbian's head, rattling the champion once more. The climax arrived in the closing seconds of the final round.
Kalajdzic threw a perfectly timed right hand that connected flush with Richards' jaw, sending the British fighter sprawling onto his side. Richards managed to get back to his feet, but his legs trembled and his vision blurred. The bell rang just in time to prevent a potential knockout, and the judges scored the fight unanimously in Kalajdzic's favor, each card reading 97‑92. Beyond the headline bout, the undercard delivered its own share of drama.
Lee Cutler, whose moniker "Chaos" suggests unpredictability, displayed meticulous control against the powerful Louis Greene over ten rounds. Greene, known for his heavy‑handed style, started slowly but soon landed a solid punch that hurt Cutler and caused his legs to wobble. Cutler recovered quickly, launching a crisp right to open the fourth round and following up with a clean one‑two.
Greene attempted to close the distance, throwing single, hard shots, but Cutler's superior footwork and combination punching kept him at bay. In the final round Greene surged with urgency, yet Cutler weathered the assault, clinching when necessary and earning a unanimous decision with scores of 98‑92, 97‑93, and 97‑93. In the women's division, Kayla Allen— the first female fighter signed by Zuffa Boxing— dominated Hungarian veteran Edina Kiss. Allen maintained a high guard, moved deftly on her feet, and began to unload a barrage of punches early in the fight.
A clean cross in a combination snapped Kiss back several steps. Though Kiss attempted to retaliate at the start of round two, Allen responded with a powerful right to the chin and a hard left that forced the Hungarian to retreat. Allen's relentless pressure caused Kiss to stumble into the ropes, prompting the referee to start a count.
By round three, Allen was delivering precise one‑two punches, and Kiss ultimately retired on her stool at the end of the round. Alex MacMillan continued his streak of spectacular finishes in his second consecutive bout. From the opening bell he closed the distance on unbeaten prospect Guillaume Azagier, cutting off the ring and feinting to the body before delivering a crushing right that dropped Azagier heavily in the first round. MacMillan pressed the advantage, sending Azagier to the canvas a second time before the round concluded.
In round two, MacMillan kept Azagier reeling; as the corner threw in the towel, MacMillan landed a third decisive blow, ending the fight decisively. Mexican Olympian Rogelio Romero upheld his perfect knockout record, extending it to seven professional victories by stopping Moldovan puncher Aurel Ignat.
Romero, a southpaw with a devastating left hook, battered Ignat throughout the early rounds. Ignat managed to mount a brief comeback in the third round, forcing Romero to momentarily lose his mouthpiece and absorb a few counter‑punches.
Unfazed, Romero delivered a thunderous right hook that sent Ignat wobbling, prompting the referee to stop the contest while Ignat was still on his feet. In another debut, West Ham amateur champion Fred Pullen faced Italy's Leonardo Faretina over four rounds. Pullen, a southpaw, opened the second round with a sharp lead right that dropped Faretina. The Italian rose quickly and showed considerable grit, but Pullen maintained control with precise, fast‑paced boxing, earning a clear 40‑35 decision on the judges' cards.
The co‑main event featured a clash between top American prospect Alexis De La Cerda and Ireland's unbeaten Cain Lewis in an eight‑round showdown. De La Cerda applied relentless pressure, and by the sixth round Lewis suffered a cut that began to bleed profusely. Despite the injury, Lewis fought back fiercely in the final round, attempting to turn the tide. Nevertheless, De La Cerda's consistent aggression and effective punching secured him a unanimous decision, with judges scoring the bout 80‑72, 79‑73, and 79‑74.
Finally, Cesar Mateo Tapia started strong against Leo Ruiz, but Ruiz gradually seized control of their ten‑round encounter. Tapia's early burst of activity faded as Ruiz imposed his game plan, ultimately winning the fight by unanimous decision with scores of 97‑93 and 96‑94 twice. The undercard, rich with knockouts, technical battles, and dramatic comebacks, underscored the depth of talent present at the event and set the stage for future marquee match‑ups.