Sakai optimistic of big race double for Japan on Saudi Cup card

RIYADH: The Saudi capital was the stage for a thrilling evening of boxing, as The Last Crescendo fight night unfolded with unforgettable performances from both seasoned champions and rising stars. The night was highlighted by a stunning upset at the top of the card, as Dmitry Bivol claimed the undisputed light-heavyweight title in a rematch against Artur Beterbiev. Below that, Joseph Parker scored a dramatic win in his heavyweight clash with Martin Bakole, setting the tone for a card filled with high stakes and jaw-dropping moments.

The night’s main event was a stunning twist in the light-heavyweight division. Dmitry Bivol, who had lost to Artur Beterbiev in their previous encounter, returned to the ring with a tactical masterclass to claim the undisputed light-heavyweight title. Bivol won by majority decision, with the judges’ scorecards reading 115-113, 116-112, and 114-114 in his favor, reversing the outcome of their first bout. The victory sets up a potential trilogy, and fans are already buzzing for a third installment between the two warriors.

Fans also witnessed a sensational evening of boxing, where local fighters lit up the arena with two dominant victories, setting the stage for an action-packed night. Ziyad Almaayouf and Mohammed Alakel both delivered impressive performances, marking a successful start for Saudi Arabian talent. Almaayouf defeated Jonatas de Oliveira via unanimous decision in their super lightweight bout, while Alakel improved to 3-0 with a dominant six-round display against Engel Gomez. These wins gave the local crowd plenty to cheer about, creating an electric atmosphere that carried through the night’s marquee matchups.

In the co-main event, Joseph Parker bounced back from recent setbacks with a clinical second-round TKO victory over Martin Bakole. The win was a much-needed statement for the former heavyweight champion, as Parker overwhelmed Bakole with a series of brutal combinations. The referee stepped in to stop the fight after Parker landed a devastating blow that sent Bakole crashing to the canvas, securing the Kiwi’s return to the winner’s circle.

Shakur Stevenson successfully retained his WBC lightweight title in a bout against Josh Padley, with the fight ending in the ninth round after Padley’s corner threw in the towel. Stevenson dominated from the start, showcasing his technical brilliance and speed, extending his unbeaten record to 20-0 with the impressive win.

Carlos Adames faced Hamzah Sheeraz in a middleweight clash for Adames’ WBC title, and the bout ended controversially in a split draw. The fight was a close contest, with one judge scoring it for Sheeraz, while another gave it to Adames by a wide margin. A third judge saw it as a draw, allowing Adames to retain his belt despite the contentious outcome.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. displayed his championship credentials, holding onto his WBC interim super welterweight title with a close unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov. The bout was one of the evening’s most competitive, but Ortiz’s combination of power and precision was enough to secure the win, keeping his perfect record intact at 23-0.

Agit Kabayel impressed with a sixth-round knockout of Zhilei Zhang, showcasing his heavy hands and continuing his unbeaten streak at 26-0. Kabayel’s power and technique left the crowd in awe, as another massive body shot sent Zhang to the canvas in dramatic fashion.

Callum Smith claimed the vacant WBO light heavyweight title after a hard-fought majority decision victory over Joshua Buatsi. The two fighters put on an incredible display, but Smith’s experience and composure allowed him to edge out Buatsi, handing the latter his first-ever defeat.

As the final bell rang, the crowd in Riyadh was left in awe of a night filled with historic moments, shocking upsets, and dominant performances. From local stars making their mark to world-class champions rewriting the record books, The Last Crescendo proved to be a fight night to remember.

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad took a big step toward the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title on Saturday with a 4-1 win over Al-Hilal in the long-awaited top of the table clash.
The victory in Jeddah puts the Tigers seven points clear of their Riyadh rivals with 13 games of the season remaining.
The defeat means that Al-Hilal, who strolled to a record 19th championship in 2024, have won just once in their last five games and are struggling to keep pace with Ittihad who have tasted victory in 15 of their last 17 league games.
Despite the convincing defeat that came in the end, Al-Hilal took the lead midway through the first half. João Cancelo whipped over a wicked ball from the right and there was Marcos Leonardo to poke it home at the near post for a real poacher’s goal.

On the half hour however, Al-Ittihad were back on level terms. Moussa Diaby, who continued his great form of late, swung over a corner kick from the right for Hassan Kadesh to head home.
It got better for the Jeddah giants just before the break as Steven Bergwijn put them ahead. Karim Benzema slipped a pass wide for Diaby and the former Aston Villa star sent over a perfect cross for Bergwijn to head home at the second attempt after Yassine Bounou in goal had blocked the first.
The Dutchman was on target once more six minutes after the restart. N’Golo Kante broke down the right and the former Chelsea midfielder pulled the ball back for Bergwijn to bundle home from close range.
Al-Hilal pushed forward but fell further behind four minutes from the end and in spectacular fashion too. Diaby’s corner from the right landed in the left side of the box and there was Karim Benzema to volley his 16th goal of the league season to move level with Cristiano Ronaldo on the top of the individual rankings.
The bigger prize is, however, that Al-Ittihad now have a comfortable cushion over their title rivals and are looking very good indeed.