Batyr Ahmedov Being Placed on The Fast-Track, Says Manager

By Steve Kim

Vadkim Kornilov is best known for managing former junior welterweight champion, Ruslan Provodnikov, and current WBA light heavyweight belt-holder Dmitry Bivol, and he believes he has another future champion in Batyr Ahmedov from Uzbekistan who currently has a record of 3-0 (2 KO's).

Ahmedov is in action on Saturday night at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, versus Oscar Barajas.

"In his third fight he just fought for the WBC Inter-Continental 140-pound title, he defeated a guy with like 40 fights (Ricky Sismundo). I think he's a guy that can fight one of the champions at 140 now," said Kornilov, who added, "But I want to give him about a year to develop and defend the titles he's won a couple of times and we'll move him pretty quickly after that."

For those who have not seen him, Kornilov describes him as,"a forward-moving, pressure fighter, with great body punching. He's dropped guy to the body in sparring numerous times which is very impressive I really like that type of style and that's what I think that's what people enjoy in the pros."

Should everything go well this weekend, expect Ahmedov to return in July or August.

"He'll be back in the summer again defending his title," said Kornilov.

Ahmedov is trained by Joel Diaz out in Coachella, California with a few of his stablemates who are also managed by Kornilov.

Also in action on the card, heavyweight prospect Sergey Kuzmin, (11-0-0, 8 KO’s), will face Jeremiah Karpency, (15-1-1, 6 KO’s), of Adah, PA, in a scheduled ten rounder. In the junior middleweight division, 2016 Olympic Silver Medalist Shakhram Giyasov, (1-0-0, 1KO) will be challenged by battle-tested Hungarian veteran Gabor Gorbics, (24-10-0, 14 KO’s) in a scheduled six rounder.

Also returning to the Kings Theatre after a knockout professional debut is 2016 Olympic Bronze Medalist Murodjon Akhmadaliev, (1-0-0, 1 KO). Akhmadaliev will face off against Carlos Gaston Suarez, (7-4-3, 2 KO’s), of Buenos Aires, Argentina. on April 21 in a six -round junior lightweight bout.

Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.