Boxing
Not a bad life: Bek the Bully and Fulghum deliver Las Vegas classic to save bad day
Sign up now for a DAZN boxing subscription
Even by my standards, last Friday morning was bizarre. I awoke to three ducks cutting about in my front garden, which freaked me out given I don’t live anywhere near a park or a pond.
I then discovered someone had smashed the back window of my car. Random act of vandalism - and could I honestly rule out the ducks who were at the crime scene without an alibi - or had I really upset someone with a recent DAZN News opinion piece?
An hour or so later and I discover post-workout that I had forgot to pack a towel. Is there anything more undignified than getting dry at the gym with a hairdryer and a soaking wet Nike vest? I’ll wait.
It was a day of sombre introspection, and even a 12” Doner Chicken Tikka Pizza late doors could not pull me out of my existential crisis.
Who'd have thought then that just a few short hours later two boxers’ putting it all on the line on DAZN would help remind me that life's struggles are temporary and don't define one's overall existence.
I had been looking forward to Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum all week, but didn’t think the fight would produce the way that it did.
The pair left it all in the ring in their high-stakes WBA super-middleweight title eliminator on Friday, treating us to a modern classic and a genuine contender for 2025 Fight of the Year.
It was a high-energy, classic clash of styles that ebbed and flowed. There were quite a few swing rounds, but the prevailing feeling was that the knockdown Melikuziev scored at the start of the final stanza – stunning Fulghum with a left hand to body which then set up a sneaky but perfectly timed left cross to chin that put Fulghum down by the ropes – sealed the victory.
It was the type of tear-up though where there are no losers. According to CompuBox, Melikuziev landed 170 of 442 punches and Fulghum landed 169 of 407. The two combatants were so well matched, with Melikuziev’s greater amateur seasoning probably proving decisive.
I think both men have room for significant improvement in any rematch, but that should not detract from the entertainment they gave the Vegas fans and the rest of us watching on DAZN.
Fulghum can absolutely come again. I was impressed at his inside fighting given he is a tall guy for someone campaigning at 168.
Melikuziev had so much success slipping outside the jab and pivoting around Fulghum before nailing him with the straight left as his opponent reset.
I thought ‘Bek the Bully’ looked like he was wilting around the halfway point, so credit to his conditioning to get through the tough moments and come on strong down the stretch. In a sport where fine margins often make a seismic difference, his late rally proved the difference.
Judges scored the contest 114-112 across the board, and after a barn-burner such as that it was so nice that the scorecards were entirely logical and reflected what we had witnessed in Sin City. Both guys should be proud of themselves.
Melikuziev is super crafty and a very slick fighter. You can tell he was a top-tier amateur by the way he goes about his business, but he has real cojones too. But Fulghum also showed he has something very bankable. I see great potential in the man from El Paso, Texas, who dropped to 14-1 (12) after the loss.
Even in defeat, that kind of experience, at that level, is simply priceless.
In terms of where they go next, nobody would object to a rematch obviously.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Caleb Plant and Jermall Charlo have been circling each other for years, but on Saturday night - again in Vegas - huge underdog Armando Resendiz threw a massive spanner in the works by beating Plant via split decision to claim the WBA interim super-middleweight title.
Melikuziev would have been watching that one with interest and am sure would have no qualms about facing off against Charlo next with Plant seemingly out of the running.
Summary for the lazy; he would be a tough night’s work for anyone at 168, and that includes Saul Alvarez.
Canelo is the WBA champion proper, and that is the biggest fight out there for him. However, he is busy preparing for Terence Crawford in September, so we could see Resendiz vs. Melikuziev with the winner getting his chance against the Mexican legend in 2026.
Thinking about it, maybe I’d like to see him battle Diego Pacheco or another young gun at 168, but one thing is for sure. The 16-1 (10) Uzbekistan southpaw now has plenty of options after Friday night’s win.
That’s all for the future of course.
Right now, I would just like to say thank you to both men for putting on such a compelling contest last Friday. It was an absolute pleasure to watch a bout that was fought with such spite and venom, but also fought in the right spirit. And if 2025 does end up producing a better fight than that, I just hope I am watching.
Hats off, fellas. You really delivered and reminded me that whatever comes our way in this world, it's only ever a bad day, not a bad life.
Watch Fabio Wardley vs. Justis Huni exclusively with a DAZN subscription. Annual and monthly options available, more information here
