The Ukrainian Olympic champion Khyzhniak defeated Argentina’s Durval Elias Palacio by unanimous decision over 10 rounds to capture the vacant WBA Gold International light-heavyweight title, completing a successful transition from amateur superstar to professional titleholder in only his third professional bout.

The official scorecards read 100–90, 99–91 and 98–92, reflecting Khyzhniak’s control throughout the contest. One judge awarded him every round, while the other two gave Palacio only one and two rounds respectively.

For Khyzhniak, the significance of the victory went well beyond the championship belt.

It was his first professional title fight, his first scheduled 10-round contest and, most importantly, his first professional bout to extend beyond two rounds.

The 31-year-old entered the contest having stopped Colombia’s Wilmer Barón in the opening round of his professional debut before stopping France’s Lenny Patrach in the second round in his second appearance. Against Palacio, there would be no early knockout. Instead, Khyzhniak demonstrated that the relentless pressure, extraordinary work rate and physical intensity that made him one of the world's leading amateur boxers could be maintained over championship distance.

Palacio provided a considerably more experienced test. The Argentine entered with 16 victories and 12 knockouts and had fought opponents far more extensively in the professional ranks than Khyzhniak. Yet experience alone was not enough to disrupt the Ukrainian’s rhythm.

Khyzhniak established the tempo early, pressing forward behind a high-volume attack and forcing Palacio to work under constant pressure. Rather than recklessly chasing the knockout, the Ukrainian remained disciplined, accumulated rounds and repeatedly imposed his physical strength and activity on the Argentine. By the final bell, there was no question about the outcome. Khyzhniak had successfully answered the first major question of his professional career: could the “Poltava Tank” sustain his trademark intensity over 10 professional rounds? The answer was emphatically yes.

The victory moved Khyzhniak to 3–0 with two knockouts and added a professional championship to an amateur résumé that already includes Olympic gold, Olympic silver, a world championship and European championship honors.

His amateur career had already established him as one of Ukraine’s most decorated fighters of his generation.

Khyzhniak won Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020 after a dramatic defeat to Brazil’s Hebert Sousa in the middleweight final. Three years later, he completed one of the most compelling redemption stories of the Paris 2024 Olympics, moving up to 80 kilograms and defeating two-time Olympic champion Arlen López in the semifinal before overcoming Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay in the final.

The Olympic gold medal completed a remarkable journey. Now the professional chapter is beginning to take shape.

Saturday’s performance was not spectacular in the conventional sense of a short, explosive knockout, but it may prove more important to Khyzhniak’s development than another early stoppage would have been. Professional championship boxing requires patience, pacing and the ability to maintain effectiveness as the rounds accumulate. Palacio gave Khyzhniak the opportunity to demonstrate all three. And he passed the test.

For Usyk 17 Promotions, that perfect record was almost as significant as Khyzhniak’s championship victory. The promotion, founded by Oleksandr Usyk, has positioned Rising Stars as a platform for Ukrainian professionals and emerging prospects, providing fighters with opportunities to develop in front of a home audience while building toward international competition.

Rising Stars II demonstrated that philosophy across the entire card.

There was a championship opportunity for Khyzhniak, a fourth consecutive knockout for Illiusha, another first-round heavyweight stoppage for Lovchynskyi, continued development for Aliyev and a series of valuable rounds for the younger Ukrainian professionals.

The night therefore represented more than a collection of individual victories. It was a showcase of the depth of Ukraine’s next professional generation.

For Khyzhniak, however, the evening belonged to him.

He arrived in Lviv with two professional fights and two stoppage victories. He left with his first championship belt and the knowledge that he can compete effectively over 10 rounds.

The Olympic champion has already conquered amateur boxing.

In Lviv, he began the process of building the professional résumé that could eventually place him among the world’s elite once again.

Usyk 17 Promotions: Rising Stars II — Complete Results

Oleksandr Khyzhniak def. Durval Elias Palacio, unanimous decision, 10 rounds, 100–90, 99–91, 98–92 — vacant WBA Gold International light-heavyweight title.

Pavlo Illiusha def. Allef Jordelly, TKO, round 3.

Matvii Razhba def. Joel McIntyre, unanimous decision, six rounds, 60–54, 60–54, 60–54.

Aider Abduraimov def. Nestor Adrian Maidana, unanimous decision, six rounds, 60–54, 60–54, 60–55.

Dzhamal Kuliiev def. Lukáš Fernéza, unanimous decision, six rounds, 60–54, 60–54, 60–54.

Dmytro Lovchynskyi def. Deibis Berrocal, KO/TKO, round 1.

Elvin Aliyev def. James Londrinier, TKO, round 2.

Mykola Laktionov def. Attila Baran, unanimous decision, six rounds, 60–54, 60–54, 59–55.

Maksym Zymenko def. Maksym Chernelya, unanimous decision, four rounds, 40–36, 40–35, 40–35.

Bohdan Tolmachov def. Danylo Kudryashov, TKO, round 1.

Maksym Rudyk def. Andrii Tyshkovets, unanimous decision, four rounds, 39–37, 39–37, 39–37.

The message from Lviv was unmistakable: Ukrainian boxing’s next generation is moving forward, and at the front of that procession now stands a new professional champion — Oleksandr Khyzhniak.

!FESTRepublic, established in 2015, is a sprawling 20,000-square-metre cultural and entertainment complex in Lviv, Ukraine. Located on Staroznesenska Street near Znesinnia Park and Zamkova Hill, the former industrial site has been transformed into a modern, multifunctional venue featuring expansive indoor and outdoor spaces, rooftop areas and a large event hall, known for hosting concerts, festivals, cultural programs and major live events.

Usyk 17 Promotions

In the summer of 2020, an Olympic champion and undisputed boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk founded this company to help young athletes on their arduous boxing path.

It is safe to say that we are a team of like-minded people who know almost everything about boxing. Almost each of us has made our own way into boxing, so we know firsthand how to put on gloves or the size of the ring

Based on our experience, we have formed the mission and goals of the company. The mission is to bring Ukrainian boxing to a fundamentally new level of recognition and competition in the world.