In an eight-round Lightweight bout, Denis Shafikov (38-4-1, 20 KOs) grinded out a unanimous-decision win over Hector Ambriz Suarez (12-7-1, 6 KOs) in the main event of 360 Promotions Hollywood Fights Nights at the Avalon Nightclub in Hollywood, California on Wednesday.
Judges scored the bout 77-75, 79-73 and 80-72 all in favor of Shafikov who is from Russia but now lives in Big Bear Lake, California. Shafikov is trained by Abel Sanchez.
“I feel good about my performance,” said Shafikov. “There was accidental head butt that opened a small cut but it did not affect my performance.”
Shafikov pressed the action early, landing left hooks and hard body shots. Suarez didn’t back down, finding openings with the counters but Shanfikov landed a hard left hook to the body towards the end of the third round.
The action picked up in the fifth round with good exchanges towards the end of the round. Shafikov sent Suarez to the ropes with a straight left but couldn’t score a knockdown.
Shafikov is coming off back-to-back losses but said he would like to have another opportunity at a world title.
“I have to become a mandatory,” said Shafikov. “That is a goal of mine.”
Header photo by Tom Hogan/360 Boxing
