Ahmed Gakiev earned a majority decision victory over Zhasulan Akimzhan at ACA 205, with scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 29-29. The win is Gakiev's second consecutive, improving his record to 12-4, while Akimzhan falls to 11-5 with his second straight defeat. It was also Akimzhan's promotional debut in ACA, and a hand injury he sustained appeared to significantly affect his performance.
Ahmed Gakiev picked up a majority decision win over Zhasulan Akimzhan at ACA 205, with two judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favor and a third seeing it as a 29-29 draw.
The victory marks Gakiev's second consecutive win, pushing his professional record to 12-4. He has shown the kind of consistency inside the ACA cage that makes back-to-back victories a meaningful statement of form.
Akimzhan, now 11-5, was making his promotional debut in ACA and suffered his second straight defeat. His night was further complicated by a hand injury sustained during the fight, which appeared to noticeably affect his ability to perform at full capacity. The circumstances surrounding that setback will likely factor into any assessment of where he goes from here on the regional circuit.
Why it matters
- Gakiev's consecutive victories signal he is building real momentum within the ACA middleweight or light heavyweight ranks.
- Akimzhan's debut in the promotion ended in defeat, making his path to establishing himself in ACA more difficult heading into his next assignment.
- The hand injury Akimzhan suffered clouds the result somewhat and raises questions about how the fight might have unfolded under different conditions.
