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In one of the craziest comebacks of the young year, Radivoje Kalajdzic defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the seventh round at Zuffa Boxing 02 on Saturday night. It was a match that looked to be over early, but somehow completely flipped, leaving the former champion stunned and a heavy loser holding his head high.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk looks like the clear favorite. He controlled the early rounds with his feet and timing, knocking down Radivoje Karadzic twice early, including a clean right hand that sent Karadzic crashing to the canvas. In the first phase of the battle, Gvozdyk was the first and last man to land, piling up bullets and setting the pace as if the night was about to make a routine decision.
Karadzic stayed patient and kept pushing forward, even while taking injuries that would cripple many fighters. As the round wore on, his right hand began to find a home, and Gvozdyk’s reflexes slowed enough to elicit the exchanges he had been avoiding. The shift was gradual but real, and confidence began to waver.
That swing turned into a collapse in the seventh inning. Karadzic hit Gvozdyk with a series of hard blows, throwing his head back and leaving him visibly shaking. Gvozdyk fell to the ground, beating the count but never regaining his balance, and the referee stepped in to stop the fight as Karadzic landed more right hands, culminating in a dramatic technical knockout.
For Gvozdyk, the loss was a devastating one after dominating so many fights. It was a career-defining victory built on tenacity and belief for Karadzic, who rose from the field to stop a former world champion who early on looked untouchable.
The 10-round light heavyweight bout takes place on February 1, 2026 at Zuffa Boxing 02 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on Paramount+.
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Last updated on February 1, 2026
