Nico Ali Walsh Claims Victory Over Late-Replacement Stanford

Nico Ali Walsh, the middleweight boxer and grandson of the legendary Muhammad Ali, claimed victory over Charles Stanford in a Saturday undercard matchup at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The bout, which saw Ali Walsh improve his record to 10-1 with 5 knockouts, was a hard-fought battle against the late-replacement Stanford (7-6, 4 KOs).

Ali Walsh, now under the guidance of trainer Ismael Salas, showcased his skills early, utilizing his jab to control the pace of the fight and build an early lead on the scorecards. Despite facing a tough opponent in Stanford, who took the fight on short notice after Ali Walsh's original opponent withdrew, Ali Walsh remained confident and continued to press forward.

Stanford, known for his resilience and counterpunching ability, proved to be a formidable challenger. Despite having fought just two weeks prior to this bout, Stanford showed no signs of fatigue and landed several significant counter punches throughout the fight.

In the later rounds, Stanford's counterpunching began to slow Ali Walsh's punch volume, and Ali Walsh found himself following Stanford around the ring instead of cutting off his movements. Stanford's best rounds came towards the end of the fight, particularly in the sixth round, where he landed several big right-hand counters.

Ultimately, the judges scored the fight in favor of Ali Walsh, with scores of 59-55, 60-54, and 60-54, securing him the victory. Ali Walsh's win marks a successful return to the ESPN airwaves following his upset loss to Sona Akale last August and sets the stage for future matchups as he continues to make a name for himself in the middleweight division.