In Florida, at the War of the Worlds tournament, the main event of the evening was the fight between Tajik boxer Muhammad Yakubov and American William Foster III.
The confrontation lasted all ten rounds and ended with a tense majority decision, as a result of which Yakubov was awarded the victory. "Asia-Plus" analyzes the past fight.
The course of the fight: from caution to decisive pressure
Yakubov, who has an aggressive left-sided style, began the fight cautiously. Foster, taller and with an impressive reach, tried to keep his opponent at a distance with a jab. The first two rounds were spent in a tactical fight, where the advantage was difficult to determine.
However, from the third round, the picture changed: the Tajik boxer began to actively work on the body, forcing Foster to retreat. Several times he drove the American to the ropes, delivering precise series of punches. In the sixth round, Yakubov shook his opponent with a powerful left hook, but Foster managed to hold on. By the end of the fight, the American had stepped up, but the initiative remained with Yakubov, who confidently brought the fight to victory.
The final scores of the judges: 95-95 and twice 98-92. The majority decision was in favor of the Tajik fighter, and his professional record now stands at 23 wins (12 by knockout) with one loss.
New title and career growth
This victory brought Muhammad Yakubov the WBC US champion belt in the super featherweight (59 kg). For him, this is not only another line in his record, but also an important step towards the world arena.
Currently, the 30-year-old athlete occupies the fifth line in the WBC rating, and his opponent Foster was in the top 10 of the WBA. Thus, the victory over the American further strengthens Yakubov's position in the division's elite.
Foster, for whom this fight was the third defeat in his career (with 19 wins), lost the chance to get closer to world title fights. For Yakubov, the path to serious challenges opens, including a possible fight for the WBC belt.
Yakubov's path: from Isfara to Las Vegas and Florida
Muhammad Iskandarovich Yakubov was born on March 31, 1995 in Isfara. He came to professional boxing in 2015 and quickly gained the attention of experts, becoming the owner of a number of regional and youth belts WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
The key success was the victory in November 2023 over Cuban Pablo Vicente in Las Vegas. Then Yakubov won the WBC contender fight on points, strengthening his status as a top boxer. In December 2024, he signed a contract with the influential Sampson Boxing company and manager Jim Kambosos, which was an important step towards entering the largest American arenas.
After winning the WBC USA title, Yakubov came closer to his cherished goal – a fight for the full WBC belt. Taking into account the fifth position in the ranking, he may be offered a meeting with one of the top 3 fighters in the division. The question is when and where it will happen. Clearly, every victory on American soil strengthens his chances of becoming the first Tajik super featherweight world champion.
