Moscow, Russia - IBF #6, WBA #7 and WBO #13 light welterweight Shohjahon Ergashev improved his record to 19-0, 17 KOs, with his second win of 2020. Fighting in Russia for the first time in almost two years, the hard-punching Descendant of Tamerlane was forced to compete seriously against less powerful but no less skillful Belarussian Dmitry Miliusha (9-4-1, 4 KOs), before the latter retired in his corner after two complete rounds.

The Uzbek bomber was his aggressive self in the first two rounds but the Belarussian southpaw did well in short exchanges and also landed his left cross to tag Ergashev several times.

Unfortunately for Miliusha, the difference in firepower was decisive, as one of Ergashev's body uppercuts damaged his rib cage in the second and forced the retirement. Official time of stoppage was 0:01 of the third.

Heavyweight prospect Basir Abakarov (7-0, 6 KOs) got another knockout victory, making a short work of professional loser Olexander Nesterenko of Ukraine. Abakarov dropped Nesterenko in the first, then finished him off in the second, easily dominating his opponent in each of the rounds.

Nesterenko (9-13, 4 KOs) suffered his twelfth consecutive kayo loss, dating back to his stoppage loss to Denis Boytsov in June 2013.

25-year old Uzbek Alisher Shodiev (2-1, 1 KO) enjoyed a premature triumph, when his opponent Magomedriza Mutalibov (1-2) was forced to retire during the third following a painful ankle injury, which was suffered in the second. Mutalibov was advised to stop by the ringside physician but chose to go on. Yet, the injury was too painful to overcome, and pain too hard to swallow, and the Dagestani surrendered at 1:37 of the round.

Rising light middleweight Abubakar-Sidik Magomedov (5-0, 3 KOs) scored a workmanlike unanimous decision over bigger, more experienced David Nikolaev (8-7-1, 5 KOs) in a scheduled six-rounder.

Nikolaev gave fits to the onrushing opponent, doing specifically well in later rounds with his counter-punches but judges preferred smaller yet more aggressive Magomedov. No shame to Nikolaev, who has considerably raised his stock following four consecutive defeats to start his pro career.

Former heavyweight amateur star Vitaliy Kudukhov hasn't impressed in scoring a unanimous decision over well-travelled Belarussian journeyman Yuri Bykhovtsev (10-21-3, 5 KOs). Kudukhov worked on the back foot, while Bykhovtsev pressed the action and landed no less than his opponent. The Russian heavyweight showed some deep skills later on bvut he was also clipped cleanly at times. He is now 4-0, 2 KOs, but lots of work to be done.

Cruiserweight Timur Sakulin showed heart, guts and grit to get his tenth consecutive victory against former amateur sensation Denis Tsaryuk in a scheduled eight-rounder. The fight was epitome of Sakulin's determination, who literally outboxed Tsaryuk with one active hand for a wide unanimous decision.

It's to be noted that Tsaryuk, 39, has suffered three consecutive knockouts coming into this fight (and one - within six seconds against Julio Acosta) and was far and well removed from the boxers, who - as a teenager, no less - terrorised St. Petersburg gyms a quarter of century ago. Sakulin, 27, immediately sensed his opponent's vulnerability and by the third had Tsaryuk in deep waters. Midst into the third he dropped him down but he has also hurt his right hand badly at approximately the same point of the fight.

A long road of five rounds was ahead, and Sakulin was forced to operate with just one hand. He showed guts and courage, working through pain and a skilled opponent to outmaneuver and outpoint the aging fighter though it wasn't a walk in the park. Sakulin improves to 10-0, 5 KOs, while Tsaryuk drops down to 12-4, 10 KOs.