First pro knock-out win for Luton boxer Malik as he defeats Nikolov

Luton based welterweight Ali Malik produced a stunning knock-out to extend his unbeaten professional record to 4-0-0 on Saturday, putting Bulgarian journeyman Teodor Nikolov on the canvas at Tolworth Recreation Centre.

Fighting on Dean Whyte and Blvckbox Global’s ‘Boxing Heist’ card, the 26-year-old - who had not recorded a professional victory via knock-out before the night, forced the stoppage late in the second round after landing a huge overhand right which dropped his opponent.

Despite having 41 losses to his name prior to the fight, 27-year-old Nikolov had only been on the receiving end of a knock-out just nine times - so the end result only made the victory sweeter for the Lutonian, who was extremely proud to once again represent his hometown.

He said: “First and foremost, I’d like to thank Allah Almighty for allowing me this victory and secondly I feel glad that I was able to put on a performance for my supporters.

“I want to keep climbing the pro rankings, earn bigger fights and win titles, all while representing Luton everywhere I go.

“It’s a responsibility to carry on my shoulders, but I want to keep entertaining people, and more importantly continue to develop with each fight.

“I always aim to thrive and to excel every time I go out to perform this craft, also showing the immense talent Luton has to offer.”

The emphatic performance was even more impressive considering the impact COVID-19 has had on Malik’s boxing career so far, with Saturday’s bout being his first since beating Paul Ducie on points in Dunstable some 20 months ago.

However, even with all the time off, he still felt that there was plenty of improvement from his last bout.

Malik added: “I took my time - patience is a virtue.

“I looked for openings after throwing feints and getting reactions, but there were not any haste decisions which left me overly exposed.

“So I definitely feel like I am maturing with each fight as I go along.”