Georgiy Yunovidov TKO5 Evgeny Romanov ... In an upset, Georgiy Yunovidov (11-1, 7 KOs) stopped veteran Evgeny Romanov (19-2, 12 KOs) to claim the WBA interim bridgerweight title at the DIVS Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia. It was a weak ending as Romanov simply quit after round five.Yunovidov, age 32, entered the bout as a clear underdog — with just 11 professional fights and no prior experience on the world stage. It was a crushing blow for Romanov's career. He was once considered a contender in the 224-pound division, but now has suffered back-to-back KO defeats. Editor's note: why was the WBA sanctioning a man coming off a KO loss (Romanov) vs. an undistinguished boxer for an interim title? For Yunovidov, it was a breakout moment: not only did he seize the interim world title, but he now inserts himself squarely into the race for a shot at the WBA’s full championship, currently held by Muslim Gadzimagomedov.

 

From the opening bell, the rangy Russian made his intentions clear, using his superior reach to establish distance, snapping jabs, and landing straight shots whenever Romanov tried to close the gap.

 

Romanov, age 39, looked to bring the fight inside and bank on his power, but he struggled to match Yunovidov’s speed, accuracy, and ring IQ. Through five rounds, the bout remained competitive, but the tide turned in the sixth. After landing a sharp combination to the body and head, Yunovidov visibly rocked Romanov. With his opponent hurt and unable to respond, the referee stepped in and called a halt to the bout, awarding Yunovidov the technical knockout victory.