MONTREAL – You don’t get paid for overtime. World-rated super middleweight Christian Mbilli made quick work of England’s Mark Heffron. A left hook to the body folded Heffron in half and forced a ten count.
The ESPN+ aired main event ended just 40 seconds into the opening round Saturday at the Centre Gervais Auto, Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. Mbilli (27-0, 23 knockouts), rated No. 2 at 168 by The Ring , and his British opponent jostled for position in the opening seconds.
Mbilli worked Heffron along the ropes and found a home for the brutal body shot. Heffron went down and was in agony unable to continue and was counted out by Mike Griffin. Heffron (30-4-1, 23 KOs) has been stopped in all four career defeats.
The quick nature of the bout allows Mbilli to move forward with a more significant fight already in queue. He will next face former three-time middleweight title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko in Quebec City on August 17. Heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov rebounded from his lone career defeat with a second-round knockout over Miljan Rovcanin.
The big-Montreal-based Russian was dropped three times in a fourth round knockout to Agit Kabayel last December. He was in no mood to mess around on Saturday night. Makhmudov caught Rovcanin (27-4, 18 KOs) in the opening round and nearly sent him through the ropes.
Rovcanin was able to get up and hold in through the ensuing onslaught. It was a mere stay of execution as Makhmudov (19-1, 18 KOs) floored Rovcanin with a fearsome co.