The WBC Boxing Grand Prix is heating up, and the finalists are set after a thrilling Sunday of fights in Riyadh! The intensity was palpable, the stakes were high, and the results have set the stage for a spectacular finale. Let's dive into the action!
Keaton Gomes knew it. The moment the scorecards were read, he understood he'd left something on the table. In a heavyweight semifinal clash, the South African power-puncher went the distance against Bosnia's Ahmed Krnjic, ultimately losing by a split decision. The judges' cards showed a mixed picture: one card favored Gomes 58-56, another had it even at 57-57. However, Krnjic secured the victory with scores of 59-55, 58-56, and 58-56, earning his spot in the December 20 final in Riyadh.
Krnjic himself acknowledged the toughness of the fight, stating that Gomes was a difficult opponent to overcome. The fight was the most entertaining of the eight semifinal bouts, with both fighters trading heavy blows for a full 18 minutes. Gomes, who had previously knocked out all three of his opponents in the earlier rounds, had Krnjic badly stunned in the fifth round. However, Krnjic rallied in the sixth and final round, enough to secure the victory. Gomes, visibly disappointed, felt he had landed the cleaner blows but acknowledged that he should have thrown more.
Krnjic, with a record of 7-0 (5 KOs), will now face Argentina's Kevin Ramirez in the final. Ramirez edged out USA's Dante Stone via split decision. Stone, with a record of 21-2 (13 KOs), lost despite winning on two cards (58-55 and 57-56), overruled by scores of 57-56, 57-56, and 58-55 for Ramirez. Ramirez, a full-time cruiserweight, overcame a significant size disadvantage, being outweighed by Stone by 56 pounds.
Ramirez's victory was sealed with a right hand that floored Stone early in the fight. Stone struggled to keep pace with Ramirez, who relied on superior conditioning to secure the win. But here's where it gets controversial... Ramirez, despite being a cruiserweight, now has a chance to win the heavyweight title. The 25-year-old boxer is the younger brother of former cruiserweight champion Victor Ramirez.
The heavyweight fights were the highlight of an eight-bout show that also featured Final Four action in middleweight, junior welterweight, and featherweight divisions. Derek Pomerleau continued his impressive run with a majority decision victory over Colombia’s Carlos Cinisterra. Pomerleau will face Dylan Biggs in the middleweight final. Biggs had a comparatively easier time, winning by unanimous decision against France’s Lancelot Proton de la Chapelle.
In the featherweight division, Brandon Mejia and Muhamat Qamili secured their spots in the final with stoppage victories. Mejia knocked out South Africa’s Bekizizwe Maitse in the fifth round, while Qamili enjoyed his quickest win in over four years, stopping France’s Yoni Valverde Jnr in the first round.
In the junior welterweight bracket, Mujibillo Tursunov and Carlos Utria will meet in the final. Tursunov advanced after a hard-fought majority decision victory over Ukraine’s Danylo Lozan. Utria secured a quick win, stopping South Africa’s Ntethelelo Nkosi in the first round.
And this is the part most people miss... All four divisional final bouts will take place on December 20 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The tournament has implemented Olympic-style scoring and random drug testing throughout the competition, which began with 64 bouts across four weight classes back in April.
What do you think of the judges' decisions? Do you agree with the outcomes, or were there any controversial calls? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
