When is Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum?

Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum is on Friday, May 30. The broadcast will begin at 9 p.m. Eastern Time (2 a.m. BST). 

Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum will stream on DAZN.

Where is Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum?

The fight is taking place at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Nevada.

Who is Bektemir Melikuziev?

Melikuziev, now 15-1 (10 KOs), earned Olympic silver at middleweight in 2016 representing Uzbekistan; the 29-year-old lives these days in Indio, California. 

Melikuziev turned pro in June 2019 and was moved quickly. He was supposed to fight Sergey Kovalev in January 2021; Kovalev was coming off his knockout loss to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez 14 months earlier. Melikuziev-Kovalev was canceled when Kovalev tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

So a fight with Gabriel Rosado in June 2021, despite Rosado’s record at the time of 25-13-1,  was supposed to provide a good test, a test that Melikuziev was expected to pass. Melikuziev seemed to be headed that way when he dropped Rosado in the first round. But he made a big mistake – Melikuziev “got reckless,” he admitted later on – and left himself wide open for a huge counter from Rosado in the third round. Melikuziev went down face-first. 

Just like that, it was over. Just like that, the highly touted prospect was suddenly suspect.

The road back has seen Melikuziev win eight straight, including a clear decision over Rosado in their April 2023 rematch, a fourth-round TKO of Alantez Fox, a technical decision over the previously unbeaten Pierre Hubert Dibombe and, last November, a split decision over the 14-1 David Stevens.

Melikuziev has gotten past what happened four years ago, but is he talented enough to take it to the next level? Or is he vulnerable enough for Fulghum to take advantage? Much of that also depends on what Fulghum himself brings to the table.

Who is Darius Fulghum?

Fulghum, 14-0 (12 KOs), is a 28-year-old from Houston who was on the verge of making the U.S. team as a heavyweight (the amateur version of cruiserweight) for the 2020 Olympics, only for the coronavirus pandemic to scuttle that. Fulghum turned pro at the end of 2021 and dedicated his 2024 to stepping up his level of competition, though he still should be considered a prospect. 

Last year, Fulghum’s four victories included a majority decision over the aforementioned Fox, a unanimous decision over Vaughn Alexander (another former Melikuziev foe), and a third-round TKO of the 17-4-1- Christopher Pearson. Most recently, Fulghum knocked out the 22-2-2 Winfred Harris Jnr in four rounds in February.

Beyond his development on fight nights, Fulghum has been growing thanks to sparring with David Morrell. On Saturday, we will find out just how much Fulghum has grown.

What else should I know about Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum?

Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum is an elimination bout. The winner will move up in the WBA’s super middleweight rankings – Melikuziev is ranked third by the sanctioning body and Fulghum is in the No. 4 slot – and will be closer to a title shot. 

Don’t expect the winner of this fight to head straight into challenging Canelo for the undisputed championship, however. For one, Canelo’s got more lucrative opportunities ahead of him. As for the WBA’s interim titleholder, Caleb Plant is headed toward a fight with Jermall Charlo if both get through their setup bouts this weekend. 

It would be good for the Melikuziev-Fulghum winner to instead aim for the other contenders at 168lbs. Rather than wait on the sidelines for the biggest of fights – one that may never come – the remaining super middleweights should try to set themselves up as the heir apparent.

What other fights are on the undercard of Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Darius Fulghum?

The rest of the show features a number of Golden Boy Promotions prospects. The most notable: Eric Priest, 15-0 (8 KOs), a middleweight who will face Luis Arias, 22-4-1 (11 KOs).

can be seen on BoxRec.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter. David’s book, “,” is available on Amazon.