Bakhodir Jalolov Decisions Ihor Shevadzutskyi in Kazakhstan

Astana, Kazakhstan - Returning to the ring after a lengthy stretch of inactivity, two-time Olympic gold medalist and rising heavyweight contender Bakhodir Jalolov extended his unbeaten record to 15-0 (14 KOs) with a dominant yet uninspiring 10-round unanimous decision over durable Ukrainian opponent Ihor Shevadzutskyi at the Barys Arena in Astana.

Jalolov controlled the fight from the opening bell, using his southpaw jab and long-range straight lefts to manage the pace and space throughout. The most dramatic moment came in Round 3, when Jalolov dropped Shevadzutskyi with a clean straight left — the only knockdown of the fight.

Despite the early flash, the bout quickly settled into a repetitive pattern: Jalolov circling the ring, picking shots from the outside, and tying up whenever Shevadzutskyi attempted to close the distance. By the late rounds, the action had stalled to such a degree that sections of the large crowd began booing the excessive clinching and lack of drama.

Shevadzutskyi, known as “The Hulk,” was game throughout but lacked the footwork or tools to corner Jalolov. Still, he earned the respect of the crowd for absorbing clean power shots and continuing to press forward, even landing a solid right hand in Round 7 — the only round some observers considered giving the Ukrainian.

Ultimately, Jalolov swept the cards in a wide decision win, though it was far from a breakout performance. The bout served its purpose: it switched Jalolov’s professional status back to active, gave him ten rounds of work, and kept his Top Rank–co-promoted career moving forward.

But if Jalolov (15-0, 14 KOs) wants to break into the true upper tier of the heavyweight division, future performances will need to come with more urgency and fewer clinches.