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Zuffa Boxing has invoked a “lose and we can fire you” clause to terminate the contract of a former WBC world champion following a knockout defeat. The fighter in question is Oleksandr Gvozdyk, whose Zuffa career lasted just one fight despite dropping Radivoje Kalajdzic twice and appearing to be closing in on victory before suffering a dramatic seventh-round knockout in February. Gvozdyk has now revealed that his defeat ultimately cost him more than the fight. “They terminated the contract in February after a loss,” Gvozdyk told vRINGe. “That is, they have the option that if a boxer loses, they have the right to terminate the contract. That’s exactly what they did.” One Fight and Out at Zuffa Gvozdyk says the decision initially came as a surprise because the reaction immediately after the fight had been positive. “After the fight, everyone was saying how great it was. That everything was great,” he explained. Gvozdyk rested and then began preparing for what he believed would be his next appearance around May. Instead, the 39-year-old says he received an email in April informing him that Zuffa had terminated his contract following the February defeat. WBN previously questioned what Gvozdyk’s knockout meant for Zuffa’s developing roster after the former world champion suffered a dramatic reversal against Kalajdzic. What wasn’t known at the time was that the defeat had cost Gvozdyk his place on that roster, according to the fighter himself. The circumstances make his exit particularly unforgiving. Gvozdyk wasn’t simply beaten. He was winning and believed he was moments away from stopping Kalajdzic. “I could see in his eyes that he was already looking for a corner to capitulate,” Gvozdyk said. “In moments like these, you sometimes start to neglect defense. And light heavyweight is a division where people hit hard. I wanted to finish the fight. It seemed like a stoppage victory was just around the corner. It turned out that wasn’t the case.” Zuffa’s ‘Lose and We Can Fire You’ Approach Gvozdyk’s account provides an early example of what defeat can mean for fighters under Zuffa’s developing system. Zuffa’s “lose and we can fire you” approach mirrors the roster-cut philosophy long associated with the UFC and is likely to attract scrutiny, especially when a fighter performs well, as Gvozdyk did until being stopped in the seventh round. WBN has previously examined concerns surrounding the level of control fighters could surrender under Zuffa Boxing contracts, including warnings from Oscar De La Hoya as the new structure began taking shape. The contract described by Gvozdyk leaves a fighter vulnerable in every single contest they enter, which can be a double-edged sword. Zuffa keeps its fighters on their toes and ensures they try their hardest in every bout, which pleases the fans. In turn, fighters don’t know where their next paycheck is coming from if they don’t get the W. Gvozdyk knows that reality better than most. One Punch Cost Gvozdyk Everything at Zuffa He entered his Zuffa debut as an ex-WBC light heavyweight king, dropped his opponent twice and came within sight of beginning the relationship with an impressive knockout victory. Instead, he chased the finish, got caught and saw the entire direction of his Zuffa career change in a matter of moments. In this new world, boxers signing with Zuffa better have a good lawyer checking over the fine print. Gvozdyk was seemingly one punch away from beginning his Zuffa career with a knockout victory. One punch the other way didn’t just cost him the fight. According to Gvozdyk, it cost him his Zuffa career. About the Author Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.