Du Plessis outpoints Usman, Eblen wins interim gold, Spence-Tszyu leads July 25

July 13–19, 2026. Dricus du Plessis controlled Kamaru Usman for 25 minutes in Oklahoma City, Johnny Eblen stopped Impa Kasanganay to take the PFL interim middleweight belt, and Diego Pacheco rebuilt momentum with an 11th-round stoppage of Immanuwel Aleem. In boxing's most competitive result, David Papot dropped Harlem Eubank three times and still had to survive a knockdown of his own before taking the IBF International welterweight title on points. 1 2 3 4

Du Plessis beat Usman by unanimous decision at middleweight, 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45, finishing the fight with a 24-3 record while Usman moved to 21-5. It was a measured performance rather than the kind of chaotic fight that usually defines a Du Plessis main event: the South African kept the former welterweight champion working, banked the rounds, and put himself back in the middleweight conversation. 1

The co-main went the same distance. Christian Leroy Duncan beat Jared Cannonier 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27, moving to 15-2 after the decision. Chase Hooper submitted Mitch Ramirez with a rear-naked choke in Round 1 at 2:15, although the bout took place at a 157.5-pound catchweight after Hooper missed the lightweight limit by 1.5 pounds. 5

Tommy McMillen supplied the card's sharpest prospect statement, stopping Alberto Montes with punches in Round 3 at 3:29. On the prelims, RJ Harris stopped Alvin Hines in 1:40 of the first, Felipe Franco stopped Levi Rodrigues Jr. in Round 2, and Dione Barbosa opened the show with a standing rear-naked choke over Anna Melisano at 4:04 of Round 1. 1

The official bonus report gave Fight of the Night to Du Plessis–Usman and Performance of the Night awards to McMillen and Franco. Each received the UFC's extra $100,000 bonus; Harris and Barbosa were listed among the $25,000 finish bonuses. 6 7

Johnny Eblen stopped Impa Kasanganay with elbows and punches at 2:39 of Round 3 to win the interim PFL middleweight title. Eblen left Austin at 18-1; Kasanganay fell to 20-7. The result also settled a rematch: Eblen had won the first meeting by split decision in February 2024, and the interim belt was needed after champion Costello van Steenis withdrew with an injury. 2

The strongest undercard result was Rafael do Nascimento's second-round rear-naked-choke submission of Lewis McGrillen at 2:07. Julio Arce took a unanimous decision over Caolan Loughran, while Jesus Pinedo stopped Joseph Ruquet with punches and elbows at 4:50 of Round 1. Gamid Khizriev added a first-round twister over Biaggio Ali Walsh at 2:32. 2

At Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Diego Pacheco stayed unbeaten at 25-0 by stopping Immanuwel Aleem at 2:32 of Round 11. The 25-year-old super middleweight used his reach and body work to control most of the fight; Aleem entered at 22-4-3. The win matters because Pacheco was coming off a shaky decision over Kevin Lele Sadjo, and this was a much cleaner answer against a ranked opponent. 3

London delivered the weekend's best boxing drama. David Papot beat Harlem Eubank by unanimous decision, 115-110, 113-111 and 115-109, to win the vacant IBF International welterweight title. Papot dropped Eubank once in Round 2 and twice in Round 10, but Eubank returned the favor in Round 7. Papot moved to 31-1-1; Eubank is now 22-2. Kieran Molloy also retained his IBF European welterweight title by stopping Sean Noakes at 1:58 of Round 8. 4

Cards and start times can still change, but the confirmed weekend has a clear split: UFC and PFL bring title-relevant MMA on Saturday, while boxing offers a heavyweight comeback, a major 154-pound matchup, and a Sunday Zuffa Boxing card.

The fight to circle in MMA is Ankalaev–Guskov: a former champion facing a short-notice replacement whose finishing rate leaves little room for a slow start. In boxing, Joshua–Prenga is the heavyweight comeback story, while Spence–Tszyu is the weekend's most consequential test of whether either man's old championship form still travels to 154 pounds. 8 11 12

Du Plessis restored his middleweight relevance with control, Eblen turned a rematch into interim gold, and Papot proved that a high-level welterweight fight can still produce real swings without a stoppage. The next seven days bring enough title stakes and name value to make the Saturday schedule a genuine split-screen test, with the UFC and PFL in the afternoon and evening before boxing takes over the night.