Yoel romero, ex-UFC, defeats giant by knockout. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter
At 47, Yoel romero wrote another chapter in his career in combat sports by defeating Ras Hylton by technical knockout at the Dirty Boxing Championship 1 (DBX), held in Miami last Saturday (22). In a duel marked by physical contrast — 40 kg lighter and 10 years older than his opponent —, the Cuban former UFC fighter overcame the American heavyweight in the third round.
Under Dirty Boxing's hybrid rules, which prohibit kicks, knees and grappling techniques, Yoel romero demonstrated that experience and precision can overcome even extreme physical disparities. Facing Ras Hylton — 1,98 m and 116 kg — the Cuban, who competed in the UFC middleweight division, faced an opponent 40 kg heavier, but used speed and timing to control the first rounds with nimble jabs and solid defense.
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The decisive blow came in the third round. Romero exploited openings in Hylton's body with a combination of hooks and straight punches, culminating in a left cross that knocked the giant down. Unable to react after the sequence, the American was stopped by the referee at 2:20 of the round and ended the fight before the final 40 seconds.
Promoted by Jon Jones e Mike Perry, DBX aims to carve out a niche in the fighting game by prioritizing fist strikes, elbow strikes and forearms — elements of boxing and MMA without the wrestling component. The inaugural card, held at a Miami nightclub, attracted the likes of legendary former UFC champion Mark Coleman.
Yoel Romero knocks out opponent 40kg heavier at Jon Jones event; watch
Yoel romero just finished his 6'6, size 26 shoe opponent on Dirty Boxing pic.twitter.com/MCUAxgu7Jk
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) March 23, 2025
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