David Papot defeated Harlem Eubank by unanimous decision on Saturday, capturing the vacant IBF International welterweight title in London. The Frenchman scored three knockdowns in an action-filled contest, derailing Eubank’s ambitions for a world title shot and reviving his own career prospects.
The judges’ scorecards read 115-109, 115-110 and 113-111, reflecting a decisive win for Papot despite a spirited performance from Eubank. The fight was a back-and-forth affair, with both men hitting the canvas. Papot’s awkward southpaw style and high work rate proved difficult for Eubank to solve. He consistently forced exchanges and landed the cleaner, more damaging punches throughout the 12 rounds. Eubank managed to score a knockdown of his own and never stopped pressing the action, but Papot’s three knockdowns ultimately created an insurmountable gap on the scorecards. Both fighters showed resilience, with the referee allowing the contest to continue after each fighter was floored.
This result significantly alters the career trajectories of both men. For Papot, whose record now stands at 31-1-1, the victory provides a major boost after suffering his first professional defeat to current IBF world champion Liam Paro last year. By winning the IBF International belt, the 35-year-old Frenchman now holds a valuable ranking position and can pursue higher-profile fights against other ranked contenders. It is the most significant win of his professional career. Conversely, the loss is a major setback for Eubank, whose record falls to 22-2. It is his second consecutive defeat following a loss to Jack Catterall in 2025 and halts his momentum toward a potential world title opportunity.
