MIAMI—Murodjon Akhmadaliev has secured his place in history.

The 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist became the first fighter ever from Uzbekistan to become a unified champion, edging Daniel Roman to secure a pair of 122-pound titles in a terrific affair Thursday evening at Meridian at Island Gardens in Miami, Florida. 

Roman claimed a 115-113 nod on the scorecard of Rodolfo Aguilar, with Akhmadaliev winning by the same scores on the cards of Carlos Sucre and Nelson Vazquez.

“I can’t begin to describe what I am feeling,” Akhmadaliev exclaimed to DAZN’s Chris Mannix. “To become the first unified champion from my country is so special.”

The fight came on a four-month delay, as Roman was forced to withdraw from their originally scheduled mandatory title fight last September due to tendinitis in his shoulder. A two-month rehabilitation period was followed by the Los Angeles native heading straight to training camp through the holidays and for a tough title defense where his prodigious foe was nearly a 3-1 favorite by the opening bell.

“There’s no regrets,” Roman noted afterward. “He was my mandatory challenger, and I’m a fighter.”

Roman has shown that much through the years, perhaps never more so than his 12-round war with Tj Doheny, in which he claimed a split decision win to become a unified titlist.

Akhmadaliev didn’t waste any time in his pursuit to end that reign, taking the fight to Roman and working his way inside and connecting with a flush left hand in the opening round. The defending titlist took the shot well and—despite his own tendency to dig in and trade—made sure to not absorb too many more in the round.

Roman connected with a right hand in round two which caught the attention of his southpaw challenger, but the lack of an ensuing attack squandered the brief momentum. Akhmadaliev quickly readjusted, sliding to his right and landing a flush left hand which caught Roman along the ropes.

Round three opened with Roman looking to find a home for his right hand, which came on occasion but mostly met with Akhmadaliev’s left hand in perfect position to deflect. Akhmadaliev fired back with a left hand, though both fighters cautious to avoid getting caught up in a slugfest.

Akhmadaliev spent several portions of round four circling the ring, with Roman picking up on the tactic and leading him into his right hand. Enough got through to help produce swelling and a nick under the left eye of Akhmadaliev, who managed a thudding left hand to the body late in the frame.

Roman made a more concentrated effort to his body attack in round five, a frame where oddly it was Akhmadaliev who was guilty of straying low once too often. With the preceding rounds offering close action, Roman put in his most effective work of the fight to that point.

The second half of the bout opened with Roman shooting his jab and a right hand behind it, while Akhmadaliev offered combinations downstairs. Roman continued to come forward, though Akhmadaliev effectively fought in reverse. The shift allowed the southpaw to keep the fight at a distance, which Roman couldn’t immediately solve.

Akhmadaliev was issued a second warning for low blows in round eight, a frame which saw both fighters briefly rocked. Akhmadaliev caught Roman with a left hand, but the defending champ returned fire moments later, connecting with a left uppercut on the inside to snap back the head of the unbeaten challenger.

Roman sought to build on that momentum in round nine, charging forward and scoring with a combination upstairs. Akhmadaliev managed to slide back and avoid further damage, if only for a moment. A left hand by the southpaw was met with a straight right hand by Roman while also mixing in left hooks to the body.

Akhmadaliev opened round ten with hands by his side, shooting his jab from his waist and doing his best to throw off Roman’s rhythm. The defending champ didn’t bite, focused squarely on center mass and continuing to score with his right hand. A left hand by Akhmadaliev managed to open a cut over Roman’s right eye, leaving both cutmen with their hands full.

However close was heading into the championship rounds, Roman did his damnest to close the show. Akhmadaliev spent most of the round circling the ring, eyeing the unofficial clock above ring and moving in for a 30 second drill as he’d done most of the fight. It swayed the judges, as did his greater accuracy, landing 31% of punches on 153 of 498 connects.

In the end, it was enough to make history.  

Akhmadaliev improves to 8-0 (6KOs) with the win, joining former World heavyweight champion Leon Spinks as the quickest in history to become a unified titlist.

“I’m so happy,” Akhmadaliev told DAZN’s Chris Mannix after the fight.

Roman suffers his first loss in more than six years, falling to 27-3-1 (10KOs). The loss ends his title reign which began on the road in September 2017—more than a year before Akhmadaliev turned pro—and closes by the narrowest of margins.

“I think I won the fight, but it was a close fight,” noted Roman, who was the far busier fighter in throwing 721 punches, landing 150 for a 21% clip. “MJ is a hell of a fighter, he throws his punches really well. He’s a complicated fighter.

“Of course, I would love a rematch. I hope MJ gives me a rematch, but I know this rematch will only make me stronger.”

The bout appeared on the preliminary portion of a DAZN show topped by Demetrius Andrade (28-0, 17KOs) in a middleweight title defense versus Ireland’s Luke Keeler (17-2-1, 5KOs).

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox