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Gabriel Rosado hands Bektemir Melikuziev first career loss with stunning knockout

Gabriel Rosado
Gabriel Rosado upset Bektemir Melikuziev (not pictured) with a knockout of the year candidate Saturday in El Paso. (Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile/Getty Images) (Stephen McCarthy via Getty Images)

Gabriel Rosado handed Bektemir Melikuziev his first career loss in stunning fashion on Saturday.

Rosado, in the third round of their super middleweight bout in El Paso, Texas, landed a huge right-handed blow that sent Melikuziev straight to the ground for an incredible knockout.

Melikuziev was cruising up until that point, too, and even knocked Rosado down in the first round with a body shot.

Rosado, though, found his moment and completely turned the fight around just two rounds later.

Melikuziev was a perfect 7-0 ahead of Saturday’s fight. He was supposed to fight former light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev earlier this year, but that bout was canceled after Kovalev tested positive for a banned substance. Rosado now boasts a 26-13-1 record, and has avenged his last loss in November to Daniel Jacobs with the biggest win of his career.

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