By Alexey Sukachev

Aside of a couple of tourneys, performed by the World of Boxing and German Titov Promotions this weekend, September will be highlighted by a string of less meaningful yet still interesting tournaments in Russia and Kazakhstan. One, which looks to be of a greater interest than the rest, will take place on September 23 in Krasnodar.

Russia’s Boxing Day in Krasnodar - Though the Day of Russian boxing is celebrated on September 10 in Moscow, well-known Russian promoter Yuri Fedorov, who is known best for staging (with an assistance of Vladimir Hryunov) the first ever title fight in Russia, which featured the Russian champion (Oleg Maskaev), has decided to celebrate it in Krasnodar, Southern Russia on the 23rd.

The card will feature a number of locally known fighters, mostly in competitive challenges, and a number of lesser stars in the undercard.

Arguably the most intriguing fight of the night will see Vladikavkaz native son Aslanbek Kozaev (29-2-1, 7 KOs) in a dangerous bid for a vacant IBO International welterweight title against previously undefeated RSA-based Congolese Paul Kamanga (19-0, 11 KOs). WBA #13 Kamanga, 23, is coming off three consecutive notable wins – decision over Jason Bedeman (18-2-3) and Roman Belaev (15-1), and a kayo over 15-1 Kazakh prodigy Roman Zhailauov.

He also holds a win over former world title challenger Kaizer Mabuza. Kozaev, 28, faced royal difficulties in 2014 and 2015, going just 1-2 with points losses to Ray Robinson and Taras Shelestyuk. He is 3-0 this year but showed signs of degradation in those close wins.

Always exciting Fedor “The Knockout Man” Papazov (17-2, 11 KOs) will fight in Russian for the first time in two years, clashing against Argentinean Sergio Mauricio Gil (19-7-2, 13 KOs) over twelve rounds for a vacant IBO I/C lightweight title. Papazov, 31, has come back with a TKO win this May over Xolani Mcotheli, following two bitter setbacks in the States (losses to Petr Petrov and Miguel Angel Gonzalez). Gil has scored by far his best win this past July, stopping 16-0 German Argentino Benitez in four rounds.

Rising heavyweight/cruiserweight prospect Ruslan Faifer (16-0, 11 KOs) will test his skills against grizzled veteran Andrey Knyazev (13-3, 7 KOs) in a scheduled ten-rounder at the cruiserweight limit. Faifer is 7-0, 7 KOs, over the last year, including five stoppage wins in 2016. Knyzaev is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Arsen Goulamirian in France.

Russian welterweight champion Petros Ananyan (7-0-2, 4 KOs), fresh off his sensational fifth-round kayo of usually durable Filipino Rey Labao, is set to face Dmitry Ganiev (13-1-1, 5 KOs) over eight. Ganiev hasn’t fought ever since his NC against journeyman Alexander Saltykov more than five years ago.

Saltykov (10-36-3, 5 KOs) himself will be presented in the card – as a stepping stone for the undefeated former bantamweight contender Sahib Usarov (19-0, 6 KOs), who is penciled to fight for the first time in three years. Usarov, 32, is a former Russian, WBO European and WBO I/C bantamweight titlist with wins over 2004 Olympic gold medalist Yan Bartelemy and reigning WBA interim world champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov.

Unbeaten Sergey “Hooligan” Shigashev (3-0, 1 KO), fighting for the first time in Russia (after stints in Spain and Latvia) collides with fellow undefeated Belarussian Dmitry Miliusha (6-0, 2 KOs) over eight.

Other fights

Yoann Kongolo (Switzerland, 3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Konstantin Piternov (Russia, 20-9, 10 KOs) – 6 rounds, light heavyweights
Zamig Atakiyev (Azerbaijan, 2-0) vs. Tornike Purichamiashvili (Georgia, 7-0, 3 KOs) – 6 rounds, heavyweights
Lendrush Akopyan (Russia, 4-0, 2 KOs) vs. Oscar Roberto Medina (Argentina, 27-13-2, 9 KOs) – 6 rounds, middleweights
Arsen Aziev (Russia, 3-0, 1 KO) vs. Murad Dalkaev (Russia, 5-8, 2 KOs) – 6 rounds, super middleweights
Ilya Blinnikov (Russia, 1-0, 1 KO) vs. Alexey Shorokhov (Russia, 7-9, 4 KOs) – 4 rounds, lightweights
Samwel Gandilian (pro debut) vs. Andrey Nurchinskiy (Belarus, 9-12-3, 7 KOs) – 4 rounds, welterweights

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September 17, Omsk

Andrey Tokarev, best known for his fruitful connection with red-hot light welterweight prospect Sergey Lipinets and former world title challenger Andrey Klimov, will present the Russian debut of a fan-friendly Ukrainian fighter Vladyslav Baranov, a lighter version of Ismayl Sillakh – a fighter with an offensive style and mixed heritage. Baranov, 21, who is 4-1-1, 3 KOs, fighting exclusively in Ukraine, takes on the Uzbek veteran Bahrom Payozov (23-6, 15 KOs) for a vacant WBC CISBB welterweight title. Payozov is 0-3 in Russia, all losses being suffered in 2016.

Russian featherweight champion Mark Urvanov (6-1, 3 KOs) will look for a chance to win his first international titles. Urvanov fights Azerbaijani Rauf Aghayev (17-4, 6 KOs) for vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council and WBC Eurasian Pacific 126lb titles.

Also on the card, consisted of seven fights, is undefeated Russian Armenian Aram Amirkhanyan (5-0, 1 KO), who will be seen in an interesting bout versus well-travelled local journeyman Ruslan Semenov (5-29-1, 3 KOs), who has recently made an interesting transition from the cruiserweight division well down in weight.

September 20, Vladikavkaz

Alexey Kubarev of the Bupas Promotions will present a tiny tourney in the capital of the Nothern Ossetia.

The star of the show is an undefeated lightweight banger Roman Andreev (17-0, 12 KOs), a former teammate of aforementioned Andrey Klimov. Andreev, 30, has been fighting very sporadically recently, having won just twice over almost three years, albeit one of those wins was his finest – a wide unanimous decision over Filipino Rey Labao. On Sep. 20 Andreev will collide with Labao’s countryman Rolando Magbanua (26-4, 18 KOs), who is 1-0, 1 KO, in 2016 – after a disastrous 2015, when he was stopped twice in a row. A vacant WBO I/C 135lb title will be contested in this fight.

The most supported fighter of the night will undeniably be local favorite Georgy Chelokhsaev (9-1-1, 7 KOs), who will risk his recently acquired WBO Youth light welterweight title against 20-year old Tanzanian import Meschack Mwakemwa (10-1-2, 5 KOs).

September 24, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Rustam Abdusalamov of the Tiger Promotions, together with Mario Pokowietz of Power Boxing, will present a multi-fight boxing event in Almaty, a former capital of Kazakhstan.

Leading the card is undefeated cruiserweight Issa Akberbayev (17-0, 12 KOs), who is planning to perform the third defense of his obscure GBC 200lb title versus German Maik Kurzweil (17-6, 17 KOs).

Another title – WBO Oriental in the welterweight division – will be contested in clearly the best matched-up fight of the night, when Alexander Zhuravskiy (12-2, 10 KOs) will try his luck against just once-defeated Patomsuk Pathompothong (33-4-1, 20 KOs)

Light heavyweight Medzhid Bektemirov (17-1, 12 KOs) is looking for a relatively easy night against Georgian Gary Abajian (33-27-1, 17 KOs) over six. Bektemirov is one fight removed from a split decision loss to Alexander Brand.

Five more bouts, including those of prospects Ruslan Madiev (7-0, 3 KOs) and Yernar Yeshenov (3-0, 2 KOs) will round up this card.