At the boxing evening from Matchroom Boxing in Monte Carlo, Michael Hunter (16-1, 11 KOs), the former challenger for the WBO belt at 200 pounds, scored his fourth victory after the transition to the heavyweights. The American faced major problems in a battle with two-meter Alexander Ustinov (34-3, 25 KOs), who had previously claimed the vacant title in the fight with Manuel Charr.
From the first bell Hunter controlled the course of the meeting, clearly dominating a much slower and technically weaker representative of Russia. In the eighth round, after a series of punches the American visibly hurt Ustinov with right hand, and he went to the floor. Hunter switched to finishing mode, but a giant from Minsk was saved by a bell. Ward of Hasim Rahman finally resolved the outcome of the battle in his favor in the ninth round, when after the left hook Ustinov once again fell on the floor.
