The eight quarter-finalists of the WBC Boxing Grand Prix middleweights have been found
All the WBC Boxing Grand Prix Phase 2 middleweight results can be found below, along with the eight quarter-finalists, as the competition reduces in numbers and increases in quality.
All the action took place today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live on DAZN.
Quarter-Finalists
Carlos Sinisterra Palacios (Colombia) 11-1, 9 KOs
Lancelot Proton de la Chappelle (France) 16-1-1, 4 KOs
Derek Pomerleau (Canada) 12-0, 9 KOs
Ephrem Bariko (France) 11-0, 6 KOs
Petro Frolov (Ukraine) 11-1-0, 4 KOs
Dylan Biggs (Australia) 14-1, 9 KOs
Emiliano Aguillon Castro (Mexico) 12-0-1, 7 KOs
Dmytro Rybalko (Ukraine) 4-0-1, 2 KOs
Hajji Muhis vs Carlos Sinisterra Palacios (Colombia)
The middleweight round of 16 began with a duel between the Finn, Muhis, and the Colombian, Sinisterra. In the first round, both fighters were quite cautious, guarding their weapons and studying their opponent, and they went into the first break without causing much damage.
In the second round, the Colombian, Sinisterra, began to take the lead, better controlling the center of the ring and putting more pressure on his opponent. The South American’s punches seemed more powerful. After this round, the scorecards were issued, and things were fairly even, with one judge in favor of Sinisterra 20-18, one in favor of Muhis 20-18, and another with a tie at 19-19.
By the third round, both maintained a good rhythm, trading blows. Things remained fairly even. It was difficult to call a favorite at that point, and the judges themselves saw it that way.
Both fighters remained in good condition, but the volume of punches was on the Colombian’s side. Standing firmly in the center of the ring, he threw more punches.
After four rounds, the judges announced their scorecards again, and two of them had the Colombian ahead, while the third maintained a tie.
In the fifth and penultimate round, the fight continued as a steady flow, with both men exchanging punches but also looking solid and resilient against the onslaught. At times, Muhis tried to surprise by coming in, connecting, and then coming out, but it wasn’t enough to break the Colombian.
In the sixth and final round, Muhis landed some clear shots, and both men finished on their feet, attacking. Now it’s all in the judges’ hands. As the previous scorecard announcements had indicated, the Colombian, Sinisterra, takes the win and secures his ticket to the third round of the WBC Boxing Grand Prix.
Isaac Torres Busnegos vs Lancelot Proton de la Chappelle
Colombian knockout artist Isaac Torres Busnegos took on France’s Lancelot Proton de la Chappelle in a high-level clash between two technically gifted fighters, both with serious ambitions in the WBC Boxing Grand Prix. Torres brought his signature Latin rhythm and aggression, while Lancelot arrived with a precise, methodical, and highly European style. It was a battle of brains, discipline, and strategy.
The first round allowed both boxers to find their range. With solid reach on both sides, they tested each other patiently. Torres landed the cleaner shots and bloodied the Frenchman’s nose, though Lancelot answered with a few well-placed punches of his own.
In the second round, Lancelot turned up the aggression, throwing sharp combinations. But Torres responded with fast, powerful two-punch counters that kept the exchanges intense and evenly matched.
By the start of round three, the judges had Torres slightly ahead. Both fighters came out cautiously, and the rhythm was briefly interrupted when Lancelot slipped. Torres focused on targeting his opponent’s face, but Chappelle’s tight guard made it difficult to land cleanly.
Round four shifted the momentum. Chappelle landed a hard right hand that visibly hurt Torres. From that moment on, the Frenchman cornered the Colombian and unleashed a flurry of heavy shots. Despite a brief warning for a rabbit punch and several clinches, the onslaught continued.
Referee Steve Morrow had seen enough and stepped in to stop the fight.
Lancelot Proton de la Chappelle won the bout by TKO, advancing in the tournament with a dramatic and convincing comeback victory.
Paul Ryan vs Derek Pomerleau
Paul Ryan of Ireland faced Derek Pomerleau of Canada in the middleweight division. The first round started with power. A left cross from the southpaw Ryan sent Pomerleau into the ropes. Although he didn’t fall to the canvas, referee Anssi Perajoki immediately called for protection. The damage wouldn’t be enough to stop the Canadian, who recovered and continued the fight.
In round two, the Irishman, Ryan, looked more confident, connecting and getting out of the danger zone, even mocking his opponent’s missed punches at times, although in the final 30 seconds he drew a right hand from Pomerleau. At the scorecard announcement, all three judges had the Irish representative ahead 20-17.
The upset came in the third round. Pomerleau, despite being down and having suffered a knockdown in the first round, turned the fight around 360 degrees, brutally connecting with Ryan with a left hook to the chin and was simply going to leave him sleeping on his feet. He finished the fight with a flurry of blows. The referee saw the Irishman in very poor condition and correctly intervened, ending the fight. Pomerleau took the victory by technical knockout and a place in the quarterfinals.
Maksym Molodan vs Ephrem Bariko
Two undefeated warriors with a hunger for glory faced off in this high-level clash. Ukraine’s Maksym Molodan met France’s Ephrem Bariko in a contest defined by skill, conditioning, and determination.
The first round delivered fast-paced action, with both fighters throwing combinations. Molodan looked slightly sharper and more accurate. Given their similar reach, they worked the distance smartly, each trying to close the gap and break through the other’s guard—landing clean shots in the process.
The second round opened with even more intensity. Bariko fired off double jabs while Molodan responded with crisp counters. At one point, a powerful left hand from Bariko buckled Molodan’s knees, but the Ukrainian stood his ground and fought back bravely.
Two judges gave Bariko the edge after two rounds, while the third had it even. In round three, Molodan became more cautious, slipping out of exchanges and landing looping shots that found Bariko’s face.
Bariko came out energized in round four, connecting with fast combinations and keeping control of the ring. He looked to trap Molodan in the corners, but the Ukrainian countered well, landing clean shots to the head.
Knowing he was down on the cards, Molodan increased the pressure in round five. Though Bariko’s punch volume dipped slightly, he remained in control and continued moving forward aggressively. Toward the end of the round, Molodan narrowly dodged a wild hook that could’ve ended the fight right then and there.
The action carried into the sixth and final round. Bariko maintained his pace and dictated the tempo, while Molodan hunted for the knockout he needed to flip the script. Fatigue began to show on both fighters, but they closed out the bout swinging in a true war of wills.
Despite Molodan’s heart and heavy shots, it wasn’t enough. Ephrem Bariko won the fight by unanimous decision, preserving his undefeated record and advancing in the tournament.
Petro Frolov vs Saulo Morales
Ukraine vs. Mexico, a current powerhouse in the sport of boxing, Petro Frolov faced Saulo Morales for a spot in the next round of the WBC Boxing Grand Prix.
The first round began with a Ukrainian fighter coming forward, but it was a serious mistake, as the Mexican connected with a right cross at the first opportunity, sending him to the canvas. These two gave us a tremendous fight from the start, as the Ukrainian then returned the favor, sending the Mexican to the ground with an overhand right, demonstrating that they both have a powerful punch.
In the second round, both men exchanged good attacks, but the fight remained fairly evenly matched. It seemed that any carelessness could send them to the canvas again. Even so, all three judges had the Ukrainian ahead 20 to 18.
A tremendous fight. In the third round, the two men connected, and it seemed they would both fall at the same time, although the referee only gave the Mexican a protective count. A rather peculiar situation. In the replay, the Ukrainian slipped and a head clash ensued. The bell rang to mark the end of the third round; everything seemed to be in Frolov’s favor with Saulo Morales’s knockdown.
In the fourth round, the fight’s intensity didn’t slow down. Frolov continued to be quite aggressive, even throwing more punches. Morales was called out twice for low blows. It seemed things were getting complicated for the latter. After four rounds, all three judges had all the rounds in favor of Petro Frolov, with scores of 40 to 36.
In the fifth round, the Mexican had to push hard or win would slip away. The Ukrainian, meanwhile, knew he had to be more cautious, already with the results in his favor in the first four rounds, and he focused on taking extra care.
The final round would come to an end. Despite being on top, Frolov didn’t want to leave any doubt and continued landing good combinations on Saulo. Saulo couldn’t find a solution to his opponent. The bell rang, and the judges announced the victory to the Ukrainian Petro Frolov by unanimous decision.
Dylan Biggs vs Ciril Johnson
In a high-voltage showdown, Australian knockout artist Dylan Biggs faced undefeated Frenchman Ciril Johnson. Biggs is known for his devastating power, while Johnson brings speed, mobility, and technical skill. It was a classic battle of power versus patience with major implications for the next round of the WBC Grand Prix.
From the opening bell, Johnson targeted Biggs’ body, crouching low and picking his moments to attack. Biggs responded with powerful hooks, finding openings to counter.
The second round saw both fighters come out aggressively, exchanging heavy punches. Johnson continued to work the body, while Biggs landed solid uppercuts to the head. The pace slowed slightly midway through the round as both boxers acknowledged the danger in each other’s shots.
Biggs looked sharper overall and edged the round on the judges’ scorecards. Both fighters adapted their strategies, closing the distance to throw with more power, leading to frequent clinches—each one quickly broken up by referee Steve St. Germain.
The third round became more fragmented, as Biggs began using his reach to keep Johnson at bay. Still, the action continued with both men landing clean punches. Johnson pushed forward with aggression, but Biggs met him with heavy counters that made the difference.
Johnson maintained control of the center of the ring, pressing the action. Biggs stayed patient, circling and waiting for openings to unleash his trademark uppercut. Both fighters emptied the tank in the final round. Biggs remained calculated, picking his moments to strike, while Johnson—knowing he was behind on the cards—hunted for the decisive blow.
The final 30 seconds were filled with intensity. Johnson threw everything he had, his punches just grazing Biggs’ chin, but none landed cleanly. Biggs kept his composure and closed the fight strong.
After six hard-fought rounds, the judges awarded the victory to Dylan Biggs by unanimous decision, earning him a well-deserved spot in the next phase of the tournament.
Emiliano Aguillon Castro vs Jose Ramon Montes
A fight between Mexicans, now in the middleweight division, pitting Emiliano Aguillón against José Ramón Montes. From the first round, Aguillón already had a cut on his right eyebrow, the result of a head clash that could be seen in the instant replay. He was examined by the doctor, who authorized the fight to continue. In the final seconds, Montes went all out, pushing his opponent against the ropes.
The second round saw hostilities begin very early, a train crash, with neither side giving up even the slightest bit of space, both leaning forward.
In the third round, they exchanged great moments, with good moments from both sides, a fight that had been quite close up to that point.
By the fourth round, Aguillón started off with a better performance, taking control of the center of the ring and unleashing power punches, also retreating when necessary to avoid being a clear target for his opponent.
The three judges up to that point also had these two warriors tied at 38-38. With this, the fifth round arrived, and both fighters had to show more to earn a ticket to the next round. The fight was quite difficult to qualify for, as while one attacked and landed, the other responded in kind.
In the sixth and final round, they continued exchanging, not with the best technique but with total commitment. In the final seconds, Aguillón landed the most powerful punches, and it seemed that this was what would ultimately convince the judges in the final rounds, giving Aguillón the victory.
Mohammad Issa vs Dmytro Rybalko
The fight began with Dmytro Rybalko coming out aggressively in the first round, clearly looking for an early finish. Mohammad Issa tried to close the distance to stay out of range, but the Ukrainian didn’t give him a moment to breathe, unleashing a constant barrage of punches. Though Issa managed to fire back occasionally, he absorbed the heavier damage early on.
The second round picked up right where the first left off—fast-paced and brutal. Both fighters exchanged violently until Rybalko’s mouthpiece was knocked out, forcing referee Analia Maradona to pause the action. Throughout the round, Analia repeatedly urged Issa to keep his head up, as the Jordanian was ducking low—often around waist level—due to the close range and pressure.
A well-placed liver shot briefly hurt Rybalko, but he recovered quickly and resumed his relentless assault. The rhythm of the bout was frequently interrupted by clinches, as Issa held to avoid Rybalko’s power shots. For every punch the Ukrainian landed, Issa had an answer, making it a high-volume exchange on both sides.
In the fourth round, Issa continued to tie up his opponent, but it wasn’t enough to stop Rybalko’s momentum. Midway through the round, Issa went down for the first time. Moments later, a clean right hand sent him to the canvas again. He looked noticeably slower, and the ringside physician showed concern about a potential concussion—but allowed the fight to continue.
The fifth round was calmer in tempo, but not in intensity. Issa came out strong and aggressive, looking to turn the tide. Rybalko, eager to end the bout, threw a rabbit punch in the heat of the moment, drawing a warning. Still, the Ukrainian maintained heavy pressure, while Issa had brief flashes of success with well-timed counters.
The final round opened with a heartfelt gesture—both fighters embraced to show mutual respect after a grueling war. Rybalko eased off slightly, possibly due to fatigue or confidence in his lead on the scorecards. But the action didn’t slow down. Both boxers emptied the tank in the final moments, landing hooks and jabs to the face in a powerful finish to an emotional and exhausting battle.
There was a brief delay before the verdict as doctors checked on Issa’s condition. In the end, Dmytro Rybalko won by unanimous decision, capping off a courageous performance against a tough and resilient opponent.
Phase 2 super-lightweight results