Craig Richards dropped for the first time as Kalajdzic spoils his Zuffa debut

Radivoje Kalajdzic won a unanimous decision, 97-92 on all three cards, and floored Richards just before the final bell at the Copper Box.

Craig Richards lost his first fight since leaving Matchroom for Zuffa Boxing, beaten on points by Radivoje Kalajdzic in the co-main event of Zuffa Boxing 11 at the Copper Box Arena in London on Saturday night. All three judges scored it 97-92, ufc.com reported.

The light heavyweight fight swung both ways. Richards had Kalajdzic in trouble at times, hurting him to the body in the seventh and again in the final round. But as Richards hunted a late knockout, Kalajdzic landed a combination and a straight right that sent him back into the ropes and down "for the first time in his career just before the final bell", according to the UFC's report. The win takes Kalajdzic to 31-3.

Richards had left Matchroom saying the promoter could not deliver the world title shot he believed he had earned, as we reported in our Zuffa Boxing weigh-in report. "If the world title can't get delivered and the final eliminator couldn't get delivered, then obviously I have to push on with my career, don't I?" he said before the fight. Defeat on his debut for his new promoter sets that plan back.

Johnny Fisher faces Michael Pirotton in the main event. Every result from the night is in our Zuffa Boxing 11 live results.

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