Muhamad Ridhwan is Singapore's first pro boxing world champion
A one-two combination made Muhamad Ridhwan Singapore's first professional boxing world champion on Saturday night.
He knocked out Tanzania's Fadhili Majiha to win the vacant Universal Boxing Organization (UBO) World super featherweight at the Roar of Singapore II event at Resorts World Sentosa.
While the UBO is not one of the world's major boxing promotions, it is regarded as a prestigious body and counts US great Roy Jones Jr as a former champion.
The 29-year-old, who co-owns the Legends Fight Sport gym along Carpenter Road, felled his opponent three times in the fourth round of their fight, with the African unable to get to his feet after the third knock-down.
Backed by a vociferous crowd, Ridhwan's winning move was a combination of shots to Majiha's body and temple, which the World Boxing Association (WBA) Pan African champion had no answer to.
The win took his professional boxing record to eight wins from eight fights, with all but one coming by way of knockout.
The former national amateur boxer, who last month won his first pro boxing championship with an WBA Asia super featherweight title victory at the Singapore Fighting Championship 5 event, dedicated the win to all his supporters.
"I think I'm happier now because everybody around me is happy," he said, when asked how winning the title made him feel.
"That's more important. The belt is a bonus.
"The fact I managed to win for the people, and for them to go back home and say "tonight, we won something".... Because I feel like it's not me winning the belt, it's all of us.
"That's why I step into the ring in the first place."
Other results (selected):
- Amateur bout: Daniel Jalil (Singapore) defeated Jason Chua (Singapore) by unanimous decision.
- Ben Keheller (New Zealand) defeated Stephen Anak (Malaysia) by TKO to retain the UBO Asia-Pacific cruiserweight title.
- Stevie Fernandus (Indonesia) defeated Cairo George (New Zealand) by unanimous decision to win the IBO Asia Pacific welterweight title.
- Sirimongkhon Iamthuam (Thailand) defeated Larry Siwu (Indonesia) by split decision to retain his UBO Inter-Continental super welterweight title.
- Chase Haley (New Zealand) defeated Mirage Khan (Malaysia) by unanimous decision to win the UBO Intercontinental/Asia Pacific and IBO Oceania titles.
- Ryan Ford (Canada) defeated Robert Berridge (New Zealand) by TKO to retain the UBO World Light Heavyweight Title.
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