Albert Batyrgaziev puts the pressure on Lamont Roach Jr. after victory over Jono Carroll

Albert Batyrgaziev, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist in junior lightweight, overcame a near disaster on Friday to defeat Jono Carroll and claim the interim WBA super featherweight title.

Carroll (24-3-1, 7 KOs), 32, of Dublin, Ireland, a sizable underdog, came out swinging heavily as Batyrgaziev (11-0, 8 KOs), 26, looked to use his distance and box. About a minute into the third round, the Russian threw a left to the body but was defensively irresponsible, allowing Carroll to land a right hook to his temple. Batyrgaziev’s legs noticeably gave out as he put a glove on the mat to regain his balance, though the knockdown was not called.

Despite the scare, Batyrgaziev managed to steady himself and survive Carroll’s onslaught. The fight, which streamed on YouTube, had the feel of a ‘hidden gem’ or honorable mention for Fight of the Year. 

After a few rounds of recouping, Batyrgaziev began to land effective straight punches in the eighth. In the ninth, his investment in body shots paid off when a well-timed left dropped Carroll. Though Carroll got up, a subsequent flurry from Batyrgaziev forced the referee to halt the contest.

The win makes Batyrgaziev the WBA interim junior lightweight titleholder, positioning him as the mandatory challenger for Lamont Roach Jr. Batyrgaziev remains undefeated in his 10 professional fights, all held in Russia. Notably, he won Olympic gold as a professional, having turned pro a year before the 2020 Olympics, which were held in 2021.

Roach recently fought on ProBox TV, stopping Feargal McCrory in the eighth round via technical knockout at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. This marked Roach’s first fight at home in seven years. He is on a six-fight win streak following his lone professional loss to Jamel Herring in 2019 at Chukchansi Park in Fresno.