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Nadjib Mohammadi stops Anatoliy Dudchenko in seventh round

Fighters Network
22
Jun

Nadjib Mohammadi scored a seventh-round technical knockout over Anatoliy Dudchenko in an IBF light heavyweight title eliminator on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to become the mandatory challenger to titleholder Bernard Hopkins.

Mohammadi (35-3, 21 knockouts) earned his 12th consecutive win, his 10th knockout during that time, and his third straight stoppage against Dudchenko (19-3, 13 KOs).

"My name is Nadjib Mohammedi and I am the best. I was good tonight," Mohammadi stated in a press release from Main Events, the promoter of the card that was televised on NBC Sports Net Fight. "I am the best. Nobody expected me to be the great fighter tonight but I was the better man."

Mohammadi last suffered defeat by second-round knockout against Dmitry Sukhotsky in October 2011.



"I am ready for Bernard Hopkins," said Mohammadi. "We are going to take that fight too. We are coming back."

Dudchenko had a 16-fight winning streak that includes 10 knockouts, but was out-landed, 137-to-28 in overall punches.

"I felt really spent after the first round. I had no energy. I was really weak," said Dudchenko. "I tried too hard to kill him. Maybe I peaked too early. I kept missing some really hard shots. I think I just gave the other guy confidence."

In another bout on the card, lightweight Karl Dargan (16-0, 8 KOs) scored a knockdown during his fifth-round stoppage of Anthony Flores (11-5-1, 6 KOs).

"I can handle pressure well. After my last fight, the media and the fans were saying I should have knocked him out. Tonight I showed I can do it," said Dargan. "He didn't surprise me. I came out of camp prepared to fight any style. He didn't hurt me at all. I am a shark in the water and I saw blood."

Also on the card, light heavyweight Sullivan Barrera (12-0, 7 KOs) scored a sixth-round knockout over Lee Campbell (7-1, 3 KOs).

"I feel good. I am very happy. We broke his zero," said Barrera. "My team has worked hard. We are ready for any competition out there."

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