Chakhkiev vs. Gassiev Final IBF Eliminator Builds Steam

By Yuri Tarantin

Russian promoter Andrei Ryabinsky said he will indeed take part in the ordered negotiations from the IBF, who ordered his fighter Rakhim Chakhkiev (23-1, 18KOs) to face Murat Gassiev (22-0, 16KOs) in a cruiserweight final eliminator to establish a mandatory challenger to champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez.

Gassiev's manager Alexey Vasiliev said that the IBF ordered the fight, after the cancellation of the fight between Hernandez and Victor Ramirez. Chakhkiev will also have a stay busy fight on September 24th against Hamilton Ventura in Moscow.

Ryabinsky says Chakhkiev will first go forward with a planned fight against Ola Afolabi on November 4th, as part of the Alexander Povetkin vs. Marisuz Wach undercard in Russia.

"We will consider this, of course, why not. We assumed that it would happen. We shall fight on November 4 and then enter into negotiations. We are not against this fight (with Gassiev). In a normal situation we are ready to box, no problem. We previously (with the team Gassieva) negotiated, but we just didn't agree," said Ryabinsky.

But Gassiev's manager is insisting that Chakhkiev has to face them next and not Afolabi. Ryabinsky sees no reason to call off the fight with Afolabi.

"If (the fight with Afolabi) has to get canceled, then we will make some decisions based on that. While I do not know anything about this fight having to be canceled or postponed. We only received a paper that a fight (with Gassiev) has to be held and we must enter into negotiations. So we will enter, and if we do not agree will take part in purse bids. It would be logical to hold the fight [with Afolabi], and then meet with Gassiev," said Ryabinsky.

Yuri Tarantin covers boxing for Allboxing.ru