Sultonov Stops Hu Xiong in Ninth to Retain WBA Asia East Super Lightweight Title
There are nights in boxing when the script seems written in advance, and then there are nights when the underdog’s experience and the champion’s grit collide in ways that force everyone to pay attention. On a cool Saturday evening at Yongin University, Isroilzhon Sultonov, the Kyrgyz fighter better known in South Korean gyms as Suimail Lee, walked into the ring as WBA Asia East Super Lightweight champion and walked out still wearing the belt after a hard-fought ninth-round TKO victory over China’s Hu Xiong.
The official date on most cards sat at October 24, though some local listings had floated the 23rd depending on time-zone quirks. The event, promoted under the Shin vs. Kaur banner by Myung Woo Yuh’s Bufalo Promotion and sanctioned by the Korea Boxing Association, featured the title fight as a key main-card attraction. Sultonov entered with a record of 4-1-1 (three of the wins by stoppage). Hu Xiong came in hotter on paper at 9-1-0, riding a five-fight win streak that included several stoppages of his own. Community predictions on sites like Tapology leaned toward the Chinese challenger, with roughly 61 percent picking Hu. The champion proved them wrong the old-fashioned way: by breaking the other man down over the later rounds until the referee had seen enough.
Preview: What the Matchup Looked Like Going In
Going into the fight, the contrast was clear. Sultonov, born in Kyrgyzstan and based out of Bucheon in Gyeonggi-do, had built his professional career almost entirely on South Korean soil. His early pro nights included a loss, a draw against Yoon Tak in 2025, and a string of stoppages against local opposition before he claimed the vacant WBA Asia East Super Lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Joo-Young Kim on May 3, 2026. At around 5’10” with a reach listed near 72-72.4 inches, he was the slightly longer man. He fought orthodox, liked to work behind the jab, and showed a willingness to trade when the moment called for it. His nickname Suimail Lee had become something of a local calling card in Korean gyms.
Hu Xiong, from Beijing by way of An Shun, presented a different profile. The 25-year-old (give or take a year depending on the source) stood roughly the same height but with a slightly shorter reach. He had compiled most of his nine wins inside China and nearby circuits, mixing decisions with early stoppages. His only loss had come by decision a couple of years earlier. He was coming off a quick TKO of Moabi Ngaka in late September 2026 and looked sharp in previous outings against domestic competition. Orthodox stance, solid power, and the confidence of a man who had been winning regularly. Many observers expected him to pressure the champion, use volume, and test Sultonov’s gas tank in the middle rounds.
The title itself sits in the regional tier of the WBA Asia structure—the East belt covering that geographic slice. It is not a world title, but it is a legitimate stepping-stone belt that has launched or validated careers in the Asian circuit. Sultonov had won it clean against Kim and was making his first defense. For Hu, it represented a chance to jump levels and take a recognized regional crown back to China. Both men made weight around the 140-pound limit without reported drama. The venue, Yongin University, is no Madison Square Garden, but it has hosted solid regional cards and draws a knowledgeable Korean crowd that appreciates technical boxing mixed with aggression.
Pre-fight talk stayed relatively quiet by modern standards. No major trash talk made international waves. Sultonov’s camp emphasized experience in Korean rings and home-crowd energy. Hu’s people pointed to his superior win-loss ledger and recent form. Oddsmakers and online pickers largely sided with the challenger on volume and recent activity. That set the stage for a classic champion-versus-hungry-challenger dynamic.
Analysis: Styles, Strengths, and the Chess Match That Unfolded
Style-wise, this was never going to be a pure boxing match or a pure brawl. Sultonov likes to establish range with the jab and look for openings upstairs and to the body. He has shown the ability to finish when opponents tire or get careless—his earlier stoppages came in the third and fourth rounds against lesser opposition. The draw with Yoon Tak demonstrated he can go the distance and still look competitive against durable local talent. The title win over Kim proved he could manage rounds, stay composed, and take a decision when needed.
Hu Xiong brings more of a pressure-oriented approach mixed with power. His recent TKOs suggest he can close the show once he gets a foothold. He is comfortable working inside and has the chin to take a few to give a few. The question mark around him was how he would handle a true road fight against a champion who knew the Korean environment and had already tasted title pressure.
In the early rounds, the fight followed a familiar pattern for these kinds of regional title bouts. Sultonov used his reach and footwork to keep Hu at bay, sticking the jab and circling. Hu tried to close distance, throwing combinations and looking to rough the champion up on the inside. Neither man dominated completely. The crowd responded to exchanges, and both fighters showed they belonged at this level. Mid-fight, the action tightened. Hu’s pressure forced Sultonov to work harder than he might have preferred. The champion absorbed some solid shots but answered with his own. Conditioning became a quiet factor. Regional ten-rounders can expose who has put in the roadwork.
By the later rounds the tide shifted. Sultonov began finding more success with counters and body work. Hu’s output remained high, but the accuracy and snap started to dip. The champion’s experience in longer fights and his familiarity with the Korean refereeing style paid dividends. He stayed composed while Hu began to show the cumulative effects of the earlier pressure. That is often where these fights are won or lost—not in flashy highlight-reel moments early, but in the ability to keep pressing or to weather the storm and then turn it around.
The ninth round became the decisive chapter. Sultonov turned up the volume and the precision. Whether it was a sustained body attack that slowed Hu or a series of clean head shots that forced the referee’s intervention, the result was the same: the fight was stopped. Sultonov by ninth-round TKO. The champion retained his belt. The challenger’s unbeaten streak (aside from the earlier decision loss) ended. For Sultonov the win moved his record to 5-1-1. For Hu it became 9-2-0.
What the fight revealed is that Sultonov is more than a home-circuit champion. He can take a determined challenger’s best work, adjust, and finish. Hu showed he has the tools and the heart to compete at this level; the loss does not erase the solid foundation he has built. Regional titles often serve as proving grounds. Both men left Yongin with something tangible: Sultonov with a successful defense and added confidence, Hu with valuable experience against a titleholder on the road.
Top Highlights
The fight did not produce an endless stream of viral clips the way some world-level wars do, but several sequences stood out for those who watched closely or caught the available footage circulating afterward.
Early on, Sultonov’s jab was the star. Clean, consistent, and effective at disrupting Hu’s entries. Whenever the Chinese fighter tried to rush in, that left hand was waiting. It set the tone and allowed the champion to dictate range for stretches.
Hu’s best moments came in the middle rounds when he managed to pin Sultonov against the ropes or in corners and unload combinations. Those flurries drew the loudest reactions from the crowd and forced the champion to dig in and trade. Hu’s power was real; Sultonov felt some of those shots.
Body work became increasingly important as the fight progressed. Sultonov’s attention to the midsection gradually sapped Hu’s mobility and punch output. It is the kind of work that does not always look spectacular in real time but shows up on the scorecards and, eventually, in the opponent’s legs.
The finish itself in round nine was the clear highlight. After a competitive battle, Sultonov found the right combination of pressure and precision. The referee stepped in when Hu could no longer effectively defend or respond. No controversy reported—just a clean stoppage that protected the challenger while rewarding the champion’s persistence.
Crowd energy also deserves mention. Korean boxing audiences know their sport. They rewarded clean boxing and strong exchanges throughout, creating an atmosphere that pushed both men.
Summary and Looking Ahead
In the end, Isroilzhon Sultonov did what champions are supposed to do on home soil against a dangerous challenger: he found a way. The ninth-round TKO over Hu Xiong was not the most one-sided performance of his career, but it may have been the most meaningful. He defended the WBA Asia East Super Lightweight title, improved his record, and showed he can go deep and still produce a finish.
Hu Xiong walked into a tough environment, pushed the champion hard for long stretches, and left with a loss but no shame. At 9-2 he remains a viable contender in the Asian super lightweight picture. A few tune-ups and another crack at a regional belt would make sense.
For Sultonov the path forward includes more defenses or a step up if the right opportunity appears. The Asian circuit is deep with talent in the 140-pound range—fighters from Korea, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and beyond. A successful title run can open doors to bigger stages or higher rankings within the WBA Asia structure. At 27 he still has time to climb.
The card itself was part of a busy stretch of regional boxing in South Korea. Bufalo Promotion and the Korea Boxing Association continue to keep the local scene active. For fans of the sport outside the major world title picture, nights like this one in Yongin matter. They showcase fighters who might never headline a pay-per-view but who bring skill, heart, and competitive fights week after week.
Sultonov’s victory was earned the hard way. He absorbed pressure, adjusted, and closed the show when it counted. That is the essence of a successful title defense. Hu Xiong made him work for every minute of it. Both men contributed to a solid night of boxing that reminded everyone why the regional ranks remain worth watching.
The belt stays with the Kyrgyz fighter based in Bucheon. The Chinese challenger heads home with lessons and motivation. And the WBA Asia East Super Lightweight picture moves on, with one more chapter written under the lights at Yongin University.
