KSI vs Logan Paul 2: Farce in undercard as Jonathan Batista gets DQd for punching after the bell against Nikita Ababiy
THE KSI vs Logan Paul event turned into a farce - even before the main-event began.
Rising American boxer Nikita Ababiy saw his shot on the global stage end in embarrassment after his opponent was disqualified.
Ababiy floored Jonathan Batista in the first round but the underdog fighter signalled that he had been punched in the back of the head.
After refusing to get up from the punch, the referee took a point off Ababiy agreeing the shot landed illegally.
Having got his way Batista finally made it his feet and decided to box on.
But out of nowhere the 19-16 Dominican Republican came out swinging like a madman, with the back of the head shot not causing as much trouble as he first let off.
Ababiy covered covered up well but tempers boiled over as the bell sounded to end the first round.
Batista went after the Logan Paul look alike and even tried to HEADBUTT the 21-year-old, who goes by the nickname ‘White Chocolate’.
Ababiy extends his unbeaten record to 8-0, with seven stoppages.
Earlier in the night Billy Joe Saunders defended his WBO super-middleweight world title defeating unknown Marcelo Esteban Coceres.
A beautiful uppercut was the best punch of the night that contributed to Coceres’ first defeat in 30 fights.
After flying in just five days out from the fight and battling jet lag before the bout, Saunders said: “There is no excuse, that performance was not worthy of Canelo, Danny Jacobs or any of the big fights.
“No excuses but I only had five days preparation here and I knew from round nine that I had to get him out of there because everything was off, my timing and accuracy was all off.
“I have had these sort of fights before when I have had to let my opponent gas and tire to get them out.
KSI vs Logan Paul 2
“I knew I had to start slow and when to step on the gas, that is the difference between winning and losing.
“I was making him miss and looking for a left hand over the top. Once he went down once I knew he was finished.
“Canelo needs to take me now while he thinks I am spent, he has done great things for boxing and win, lose or draw it is a great fight.”