Today's live results: Murodjon Akhmadaliev vs. Ricardo Espinoza

Former IBF and WBA super bantamweight world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev fights tonight against Ricardo Espinoza (30-4, 25 KOs_ in the 12-round headliner, Live on DAZN from the Salle des Étoiles, Monte Carlo. The event begins at 1:30 p.m. ET. The two fighters will fight for the WBA interim belt.

Undercard results

– Lightweight contender Maxi Hughes (28-7-2, 6 KOs) made it look easy, defeating the overwhelmed Gary Cully (18-2, 10 KOs) by a sweeping ten-round unanimous decision. Hughes beat the 6-foot, stork-like Cully, pounding him with combinations in the sixth and seventh rounds.

The results were 100-90, 100-90 and 100-90. Cully, 28, suffered a severe cut to his right eye in the sixth round, but surprisingly the fight was allowed to continue. It was target practice for Hughes, who hit Cully repeatedly with shots and moved away before he could land.

– Heavyweight contender Teremon Junior (5-0, 5 KOs) defeated Volody Katsuk (5-2, 2 KOs), scoring a first-round knockout in a scheduled six-round fight. 2024 Olympian Teremoana attacked the 36-year-old Katsuk with vicious shots at him, causing referee Jean Robert Laine to step in and stop the fight.

The stoppage occurred at 2:04 of the first lap. The victory was the third first-round knockout in the 26-year-old Teremoana’s four-year professional career. It was a signal that his promoters at Matchroom Boxing needed to start putting him up against better opponents.

Teremoana was outwitted by Ukbekistan Bakhodir Jalolovlost to him by a three-round decision in the Olympic Games 2024 inParis. Teremoana looked easy in this defeat, simply charging forward like a bull and being caught by the tall, better trained 6’3″ Jalolov. From what we saw tonight, Teremoana hasn’t improved since his defeat. He is simple.

Road to Inoue

2016 Olympic bronze medalist Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) is trying to secure a title shot against undisputed 122-pound champion Naoya Inoue, who has shown no interest in fighting him, options for easier targets .

If the 30-year-old Akmadaliev wins tonight, he will hold the WBA interim belt and could force the reluctant “Monster” Inoue to fight him or vacate his World Boxing Association title.

Also on tonight’s schedule: cruiserweight Chearon Clarke (10-0, 7 KOs) meets Leonardo Mosquea (15-0, 9 KOs) for the vacant EBU belt in a co-feature in a 12-round contest.

DAZN main card 1:30 p.m. ET)