Mohammed Alakel, a 20-year-old Saudi boxing prospect, won his second professional fight on Saturday night. The junior lightweight beat Joshua Ocampo by unanimous decision in the opening bout of the Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch undercard at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Alakel controlled the fight from the start. He landed big right hand shots, including looping blows and uppercuts, in the first round. The young boxer continued his dominance in the second round, working well with straight punches that jolted Ocampo's head back. During this round, Ocampo got knocked down by a right hand while falling in.
The judges scored the bout 60-53 across the board in favor of Alakel. The fight turned out to be one-way traffic throughout, with Ocampo offering little resistance beyond his courage.
Joe Gallagher, Alakel's trainer, must have been pleased with his fighter's performance. The win improved Alakel's professional record to 2-0, while Ocampo, a Colombian journeyman based in Spain, fell to 8-43-5 with 6 knockouts.
"Alakel showed great promise tonight," said one ringside observer. "He dominated every round and showed a variety of punches. It's clear he's been well-coached by Joe Gallagher."
The fight holds significance beyond just Alakel's personal career. It showcases local talent on a major international boxing event, potentially boosting the profile of Saudi boxing on the global stage.
As the opening bout of a high-profile event, Alakel's performance set a positive tone for the night. The young Saudi boxer will look to build on this victory as he continues his professional journey in the sport.
