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It was the end for Deontay Wilder when he stumbled one last time in the boxing ring in the middle of the night in Saudi Arabia.
Wilder fell hard on his back and barely beat the count, then got up but was knocked unconscious in the fifth round against Zhang Zhilei, a tragic end to an extraordinary career.
The heavyweight bout was the last of the first edition of the 5-on-5 concept, with Frank Warren's team beating Eddie Hearn's team 5-0 in fights and 10-0 in points. The final result was difficult to predict until six hours before. This format is always a burden for the boxers who want to participate. It worked because the promoter and all ten boxers were willing to take the risk and accept a 50-50 fight. The money available was a factor, but there have been fighters in the past who turned down risky bouts when substantial cash was offered.
All five-on-five boxers knew the risk of losing and agreed to fight.
Wilder was Saturday night's biggest victim, a giant of the ring finally exposed. Believe me, it was no easy fight. Wilder was heavyweight world champion for three years and one month, defending the title 10 times. His right hand knocked out 42 of the 43 men he defeated. Wilder's numbers will forever be impressive, but sadly, his timing and reflexes were gone and it was over at age 38.
Zhang remains a heavyweight, big and agile, an enigmatic fighter. Now 41, he remains a formidable threat and has cemented his place as a dangerous man. And his “Big Bang” catchphrase could make him a cult figure in boxing.
Another heavyweight bout between Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois should have come with a warning for violence and bloodshed. It ended in the eighth round after the ringside doctor inspected a cut on Hrgovic's eyebrow and wisely stopped the bout. Hrgovic will need to have plastic surgery to straighten his face.
Dubois was caught, stunned and hurt repeatedly in the first three rounds, but steadily got his feet in order, timed his punches and got back in the fight. Hrgovic was cut early and then started to lose his way after Dubois refused to give up. The stoppage was sound, Hrgovic never complained and likely avoided a knockout loss.
The bonus prize for the winner is the IBF interim heavyweight belt, plus a match against Anthony Joshua outdoors at Wembley Stadium in September. The motivation for a real battle of attrition was a big motivator. The interim belt will probably be upgraded to an official belt, by the way. This means that undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk will have only defended three belts when he faces Tyson Fury in Riyadh on December 21. It's amazing how the boxing industry can offer such a night of five-on-five and then perform such stunts all under one umbrella.
Nick Ball won the WBA Featherweight title against Ray Ford by a well-deserved split decision. Both men entered the ring undefeated in a bout that would never have happened had Warren and Hearn continued to ignore each other. It was a bold risk for boxers and promoters to make this bout happen. The fight was exceptional and the final round was thrilling.
The fight between Hamza Sheeraz and Amo Williams is only possible because Hearn and Warren have worked closely together over the past nine months. Both fighters are unbeaten, young and world ranked. The general argument is that it only makes sense to make this fight if a world title is on the line. The thinking is simple: why rush an unbeaten talent?
Saudi Arabia's investment changed the game, it changed the thinking of boxing veterans, and boxing won. It may sound like a cliché, but it's true.
Sheeraz was 25 and unbeaten in 19 fights, while Williams was 28 and unbeaten in 16 fights. The bout ended in the 11th round with Sheeraz winning in a commanding fashion. Believe me, this was a fight you rarely see.
Craig Richards lost to Willie Hutchinson in a slick, nail-biting crossroads fight. In the end, in a 12 round long fight, Hutchinson's youth and activity over the past two years was enough for him to take the decision, but the decision was too wide. Richards was a victim of inactivity and was a veteran in this fight. Hutchinson, being the younger man, had a lot to prove. In the end, his activity helped him win and he was very good. It was a fight most people expected Richards to win and Hearn to take an early lead.
The night never followed a predictable pattern and this format needs to return.
