Turkish boxer Elif Nur Turhan pummels Beatriz Ferreira to take IBF lightweight title

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MONACO (AP) — Big-punching Turkish boxer Elif Nur Turhan stopped Beatriz Ferreira with a fifth-round barrage to take the Brazilian's IBF world lightweight belt on Saturday.

Turhan (12-0, 8 KOs) came out swinging and dropped the two-time Olympic medalist in the first round before finishing the job in the fifth, handing Ferreira (8-1, 2 KOs) her first professional loss.

“I've done everything I could to show that women can fight as hard as men. I want to continue to show that,” Turhan said in translated post-fight comments in the ring.

Ferreira took heavy shots to the head midway through the fifth and went down in the corner. She got to her feet but was wobbly and the referee stopped the bout. The 30-year-old Turhan has won her last four fights via stoppages.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said the Istanbul native could look to fight WBC lightweight champion Caroline Dubois, or potentially go again with Ferreira.

“It’s not always pretty but she will hunt you down and when she catches you you’re in big trouble,” Hearn said of Turhan's all-out style. “This journey is only just getting started.”

The 32-year-old Ferreira, who won the IBF belt in April 2024, was a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and won a bronze medal at the Paris Games.

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AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing