How Brandon Mejía and Muhamet Qamili Reach the Featherweight Final of the Boxing Grand Prix?

We are just days away from the finals of the Boxing Grand Prix, the first professional world boxing tournament organized by the World Boxing Council (WBC). The event will take place on December 20, where the champions of the four participating divisions will be crowned.

In the smallest division of the tournament, the final will be contested by Mexico’s Brandon Mejía and Italy’s Muhamet Qamili. Both fighters have survived tough battles to establish themselves as the two best in the featherweight division and move closer to lifting the José Sulaimán trophy.

Brandon Mejía’s Road to the Final

First Stage (Round of 32):
Brandon Mejía debuted in Saudi Arabia against Jordan’s Bishara Sabbar. From the outset, he proved he would not be just another participant; he already looked like a strong contender for the “José Sulaimán” trophy. Mejía secured a technical knockout victory in the third round, dominating from start to finish and dropping his opponent four times—twice in the second round and twice in the third.

Second Stage (Round of 16):
Mejía earned a victory over the powerful Gulraj Powar, who fought with heart. The bout opened with high intensity. Within the first 30 seconds, Mejía dropped Powar with a left hand. In the second round, the rival was more cautious after feeling the Mexican’s power. Although Mejía slipped near the end of the round, officials ruled it was not a knockdown. Even while winning on the scorecards, he continued to hunt for the knockout with heavy hooks to Powar’s face. He ultimately won by unanimous decision.

Third Stage (Quarterfinals):
Mejía claimed a unanimous decision win over Ayubkhon Bakhtiyorov of Uzbekistan, becoming the only Mexican fighter to advance to the semifinals. From the opening bell, he repeatedly punished his opponent with powerful shots. He dominated the action, connecting from multiple angles and delivering a commanding performance.

Fourth Stage (Semifinals):
Mejía defeated South Africa’s Bekizizwe Maitse with two left hooks to the body. Maitse managed to keep him at bay in the first round, but in the second, Mejía found his distance and began landing heavy shots. The fight was even going into the third, where the Mexican took control and seemed close to scoring a knockout. In the fifth round, a body shot sent Maitse to his knees. He rose, but Mejía delivered the same punch again, forcing the referee to stop the contest. Mejía advanced to the final to face Italy’s Qamili.

Muhamet Qamili’s Road to the Final

First Stage (Round of 32):
Qamili defeated Ukraine’s Ihor Semonchuk after six rounds by unanimous decision. Two judges gave him two lost rounds, while the third awarded him five rounds won.

Second Stage (Round of 16):
In an intense, high-volume fight featuring a cut, heavy exchanges, and smart ring management, Qamili outboxed Ghana’s Holy Dorgbetor. An accidental headbutt caused a cut above Qamili’s eye. Twice, Qamili knocked out Dorgbetor’s mouthguard. Much of the action happened along the ropes, with Qamili applying constant pressure. Although Dorgbetor was fast, he lacked accuracy. Qamili won by unanimous decision.

Third Stage (Quarterfinals):
Qamili defeated Troy Nash in a close, exciting fight decided by the WBC’s enhanced tiebreak scoring system. The Italian pressured throughout the bout, and although Nash landed quality punches, Qamili broke through his guard and controlled the rhythm.

Fourth Stage (Semifinals):
Qamili earned a first-round technical knockout over France’s Yoni Valverde Jr. At 2:26 of the opening round, he dropped Valverde with a left hand and then punished him with a powerful combination, prompting the referee to halt the fight.