By Alexey Sukachev
Tragedy struck Volgograd, one of the biggest Russian cities and the place of the state’s soldierly glory, in the ending days of 2013, when two consecutive suicide bombings killed over thirty people and left a whole megalopolis in terror. A charity show in the center of Sexton Bike Club was held two days ago to raise funds for the victims of these bombings. A huge boxing show was announced during a press briefing at the end of the party.
The card is set to take place on March 22 at CSKA Basket Hall in Moscow, Russia, under the promotion of Vladimir Hryunov. Headlining the show is WBA lightweight titlist Richard Abril (18-3-1, 8 KOs), 31, who will risk his belt against WBA #4 rated power puncher Eduard Troyanovskiy (17-0, 14 KOs).
The Cuban is most known for his last three fights – a close win over Miguel Acosta to take his interim WBA belt in October 2011, a questionable loss to Brandon Rios in April 2012, and a convincing victory over previously undefeated Ugandan Sharif Bogere last March. Troyanovskiy, 33, a late bloomer, who got his first accolades in the fall of 2010 with the kayo win over Polish veteran Matt Zegan, has been red hot recently, having stopped the last five of his opponents in the second round.
Rising middleweight Dmitry “Night Wolf” Chudinov (12-0-2, 8 KOs), who was very busy in 2013 going 5-0-1, with 4 KOs, is scheduled for the show. Hyrunov is negotiating to match Chudinov against 31-year old Australian Jarrod Fletcher, who is coming off an upset win over Max Bursak this past Saturday. The 2008 Olympian is now 18-1, with 10 KOs, and he is rated #3 in the recent WBA 160lb rankings, whereas Chudinov, 27, is #2, number 1 being WBA interim titlist Martin Murray of the UK.
“I hope to take on Fletcher, and my promoter Vladimir Hryunov is doing his best to set this bout up”, said Chudinov. “I saw his fight, and I’m ready to take him out. I respect every fighter in my weight class but I’m ready to go through all of them. I’m positively charged and ready to show my best boxing skills”.
If successful against Fletcher (or any other opponent), Chudinov can collide with none other than Ricardo Mayorga (29-8-1, 23 KOs). This fight can take place in Volgograd on June 7.
Dmitry’s younger brother Fedor (9-0, 7 KOs), who competes as a super middleweight, will take one of the famed veterans. While BoxRec lists Omar Sheika (32-12, 21 KOs) as his opponent, former WBA super middleweight beltholder and multi-time world title challenger Manny Siaca (25-7, 20 KOs) was announced as Fedor’s possible opponent.
Finally, WBA interim light welterweight champion Svetlana Kulakova (9-0, 1 KO) will be featured in a unification against full-fledged champion Ana Laura Esteche (10-3-1, 2 KOs) of Argentina. Young Esteche is coming off her largest career success on January 18, when she dethroned previously undefeated long-time champion Monica Silvina Acosta, who had been holding her title since June 2009.
