Leon Shahbazyan vs Phil Rowe — Fight recap

Phil Rowe defeated Leon Shahbazyan by KO/TKO in the third round at 0:16 on August 20, 2019, with referee Herb Dean stopping the action. Rowe's striking prowess proved decisive, landing 84 of 124 significant strikes at 67% accuracy compared to Shahbazyan's 65 of 124 at 52%.

Both fighters recorded one knockdown apiece, but Rowe's precision on the head—67 of 106 strikes—combined with near-perfect body work (14 of 15) created the opening for the finish. Shahbazyan managed one successful takedown out of two attempts but could not sustain offensive momentum, while Rowe remained primarily a striker throughout.

The late third-round stoppage marked a significant setback for Shahbazyan's middleweight trajectory and highlighted Rowe's capacity to capitalize on striking advantages against volume-oriented opponents.