Leonardo Mosquea hit the jackpot in Monte Carlo.
The unbeaten but largely unknown French cruiserweight earned the biggest win of his career with a split decision over Cheavon Clarke. Judge Santeri Kanninen (117-113) scored for Clarke, overruled by judges Hugues Hellabaut (116-112) and Antonio Marogna (115-112) who had it for Mosquea.
Clarke entered the bout as The Ring No. 9 cruiserweight contender.
Their twelve-round cruiserweight bout served as the DAZN co-feature Saturday from Salle des Étoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Mosquea (16-0, 9 KOs) set the tone early as he sent Clarke (10-1, 7 KOs) to the canvas courtesy of a left hook.
Clarke—a Montego Bay-born southpaw now based in Gravesend, England—recovered and turned a disastrous moment into a competitive fight. A body attack by the England-based Jamaican—who represented Great Britain in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics—was effective and helped punch his way back into the fight.
The balance of the fight came down to Mosquea's left hooks and more telling shots versus Clarke's right hand. It left the judges split in the end, including three even rounds on the card that saw Clarke prevail.
Clarke came on strong in rounds nine and ten, in a threat to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. A right uppercut by Clarke jarred back the head of Mosquea in the closing seconds of the tenth round.
Mosquea was the busier fighter down the stretch, which proved to be the difference on the two cards in his favor.
In the evening's lone true title fight, Beatriz Ferriera (6-0, 2 KOs) retained her IBF lightweight belt with a ten-round shutout of France's Licia Boudersa (23-3-2, 4 KOs).
Scores were 100-90 across the board for Brazil's Ferreira, The Ring No. 2 lightweight.
The bout could have been stopped at any point after the seventh round. Ferriera lived up to her 'Beast' ring moniker with a brutal body attack that chopped down the taller Boudersa, who entered her first major title fight in nine years as a pro.
To her credit, Boudersa showed toughness in the absence of a competitive outing. The fact that she lasted all ten rounds was a reminder that Ferreira's most optimal weight is one division south at 130.
Lightweight is where the action is at for a fighter who was in search of a major title, however.
It was why Ferreira moved up in weight this past April, when she defeated Yanina del Carmen Lescano to win the IBF title. The belt was made available by The Ring double weight champion Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KOs), who is slowing abdicating her 135-pound throne.
Ferreira turned pro just two years ago and raced to a title shot ahead of her second Olympic tour. The 32-year-old claimed a Silver medal in the 2020 Olympics and returned to the amateur stage this summer in Paris. She came home with a Bronze medal, losing once again to double Olympic Gold medalist Kellie Harrington.
Now back on the pro scene, Ferreira concluded her 2024 campaign with her IBF title still in tow and hopes of unification bouts versus WBC titlist Caroline Dubois (10-0, 5 KOs) or three-division and current WBO 135-pound claimant Terri Harper (15-2-2, 6 KOs).
Dubois, Ferreira and Harper are No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, at lightweight by The Ring.
Both bouts were part of a five-fight DAZN livestream headlined by the Murodjon Akhmadaleiv-Ricardo Espinoza interim WBA junior featherweight title fight.
Jake Donovan is part of the U.S. team for The Ring. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.