By Alexey Sukachev
Highly regarded Russian light welterweight entertainer Ruslan Provodnikov (19-1, 13 KOs) is being kept active by his handlers. WBO #12 Provodnikov will fight for the fourth time this year on July 22 in America. The bout will be a headliner of an ESPN Friday Night Fights. The opponent is yet to be announced.
Provodnikov started this year with a disappointing loss to little-known Mauricio Herrera in a controversial fight. He came back in style, becoming the first person to stop ultra-durable journeyman Vyacheslav Yakovenko, and then delivered a beating to previously undefeated Mexican-American Ivan Popoca in April.
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Rapidly rising Ukrainian cruiserweight talent Dmytro Kucher (11-0, 9 KOs) will make yet another step up in class on June 11 in Kiev, Ukraine. Ex-amateur star Kucher, 26, takes on former world title challenger Ali Ismailov (18-6-1, 13 KOs) of Azerbaijan, who is 0-3 (all by way of kayo) in his recent fights. However, Ismailov, 37, fought to a highly disputed split loss in 2009 against WBO champion Victor Emilio Ramirez.
This bout will be a part of an undercard of a huge show, promoted by Elite Boxing. In the main event, WBA #1 and IBO middleweight champion Avtandil Khurtsidze (24-2-2, 13 KOs) will conduct the first defense of his title against top-ten ranked Columbian Dinoisio Miranda (21-6-2, 18 KOs).
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Former cruiserweight world title challenger Alexander Petkovic (40-4-4, 20 KOs) continued his heavyweight campaign last Friday with a decisive victory over Tanzanian Joseph Marwa (24-17-1, 7 KOs). The Germany-based Bosnian cruised to an easy unanimous decision over twelve rounds to get a vacant IBF East/West Europe title. Scores were 118-109 (twice) and 117-110.
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On May 20, merely a year since his last appearance IBF #9 Serbian Nikola Stevanovic (22-1-1, 8 KOs) came back to the ring and thrilled local crowd at Sumice Hall in Beograd, Serbia, with a scintillating knockout of previously unbeaten Italian Steafno Castellucci (18-1, 9 KOs), 29, in the eleventh round. Stevanovic, 24, who retained his IBF I/C title in process, was far ahead on points at the time of stoppage (98-92, 99-91 and 99-91), which came at 1:45 of the round. Chip Promotion staged an entire event.
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Dangerous Kazakh contender Zhanat Zhakiyanov (14-1, 7 KOs) spoilt a home party for Swiss bantamweight Bejamin Pitteloud (11-2, 5 KOs) with a stunning second-round TKO to grab a vacant EBU-EE 118lbs title on Friday night at Salle du Bourg in Martigny, Switzerland. Pittelould was down once in the first and once in the second before, referee Giuseppe Quartarone intervened at 2:20.
Zhakiyanov previously fought in his native Kazakhstan, neighboring Russia and Uzbekistan and in Thailand. He has three wins over underrated Uzbek amateur champion Bahyt Abdurahimov in the same number of fight, and his lone loss came on points to undefeated WBO #15 Russia-based Tajik Sakhib Usarov.
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After local idol Amin Asikainen suffered another crushing defeat off the hands of unheralded Pole Piotr Wilczewski, Pekka Maki and P3 Boxing is forced to work low-profile. On Saturday, May 21, the leading Finnish promotional company arranged yet another show in Sejnajoki with several prospects taking their parts in.
In the main event, former BBU and Finnish heavyweight champion Juho Haapoja (15-2-1, 10 KOs) continued his cruiserweight ride with a one-sided defeat of Czech veteran Roman Kracik (32-6-1, 18 KOs) over ten rounds. Scores were 100-90, 100-91 and 99-91.
Also victorious were several other talents, including Jussi Koivula (9-0, 3 KOs), Niko Jokinen (13-0, 4 KOs), Jarno Rosberg (10-0, 4 KOs) and Patrick Bogere (6-1, 1 KO). Brunette bombshell Eva Wahlstrom (5-0-1, 2 KOs) suffered her first career blemish being held to a draw by Bulgarian Milena Koleva (3-2-1).
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Rising Finnish promoter Markus Lammi from Caramelito Promotions stages his next boxing event this Saturday night at Kankaanpaa, Finland.
In the main event, Janne Katajisto (8-0, 3 KOs) will try to win a vacant Baltic Boxing Union heavyweight title against Latvian Pavel Dolgovs (8-14-1, 3 KOs). Estonian Anton Sjomkin (11-3, 9 KOs) and Finnish Petter Antman (7-1-1, 1 KOs) will be featured in supporting bout of the evening.
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Self-managed boxing neophyte Rodion Pastukh (7-0, 7 KOs) is a new Russian cruiserweight champion, following a ninth-round TKO over former titleholder Sultanbek Kerefov (3-2, 2 KOs). Kerefov, 31, hasn’t fought for way over three years but still was regarded as a champion, and he proved he wasn’t all that bad by giving the 36-year old athletic specimen some troubles in the starting rounds with his skills and his sharpness. As rounds passed by, it became obvious that Kerefov wasn’t in his best shape but, oppositely, was pretty rusty. Pastukh floored him in the fifth and finished Kerefov off with a barrage of unanswered blows in the ninth round.
The show was conducted at Azov-city, Azov, Russia. Promoter was Sergey Kostenko of ARTIOM fight group.
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Another Russian title will be disputed this coming Friday in Kemerovo. It’s where 22-year old middleweight Maks Limonov (15-0, 8 KOs) will test his mettle against tough-as-nails Karen Avetisyan (3-2-1, 1 KO). Kirill Pchelnikov of KP> Promotions stages this event.
WBO #15 featherweight Vyacheslav Gusev (18-2, 5 KOs) comes back against local Kyrgyz Shavkat Madaminov (9-4, 3 KOs). WBC #10 light heavyweight Roman Simakov (16-1-1, 8 KOs) will give Gennady Maximov (3-2, 2 KOs) a chance to avenge his previous loss to the same opponent. Also on the card is super featherweight prospect Fedor Papazov (6-0, 4 KOs).
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On the same date, former PABA and WBO European welterweight beltholder Sherali Mamadaliev (13-1, 8 KOs) comes back at Typhoon club in Saint Petersburg to conduct a tune-up versus Latvian Jevgenijs Fjodorovs (7-21-2, 2 KOs). Alexander Yagupov promotes.
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Georgi Ezekiev of All Stars Boxing Club and well-known Belgian trainer/manager/promoter Philippe Fondu are back to Bulgaria with a bang. This Saturday, they are making another show in Vratsa. The main event will see undefeated Swiss Ukrainian Vitaly Kopylenko (13-0, 5 KOs) in a test against Belarussian Andrei Salakhutdinov (13-2, 3 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight contest.