Manager: Lebedev Not Going Anywhere, Will Face WBSS Winner!

By Igor Lazorin, tass

Denis Lebedev (30-2, 22 KOs), 38 years old, is not planning to retire any time soon, according to his manager Vadim Kornilov.

On Thursday, the World Boxing Association (WBA) announced that Lebedev was no longer the 'super' champion at cruiserweight and is now listed as the 'champion in recess.'

Lebedev has been inactive since winning a twelve round unanimous decision over Mark Flagagan in a voluntary defense last July.

Yunier Dorticos, who held the 'regular' title, is now the 'super' champion.

The Cuban boxer will face IBF champion Murat Gassiev this coming Saturday night in a semi-final bout in the World Boxing Super Series tournament. The winner will have to face WBC, WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk in May, with all four major titles at stake.

The overall winner of the WBSS will have to make a mandatory defense against Lebedev, per the order of the sanctioning body.

Lebedev lost a twelve round decision, and the IBF belt, to Gassiev in December 2016. It was a bout that had a lot of controversy, because Lebedev refused to stage both of his belts and created a scenario where he walked away as a world champion - win or lose.

Kornilov expects Lebedev to face the WBSS winner.

"Denis is not deprived of the title," Kornilov said.

"The World Boxing Association has issued a resolution according to which Denis was given the status of 'champion in recess' in view of the fact that the title will be put at stake in the unification battle between Gassiev and Dorticos. The unification fight must be set up [with Dorticos] as a super-champion, so the WBA will not have both a super champion and a regular champion at the same time.

"The final of the super series will be held in May, after which the WBA will announce negotiations between its winner and Denis Lebedev to to reveal the strongest boxer in this weight category."