Murat Gassiev Ready To Shine In Title Eliminator

By Jake Donovan

He’s the boxer that nobody in the gym wants to get in the ring with and has become the cruiserweight nobody wants to face. With the lure of being a win away from fighting for a title, Murat Gassiev is able to showcase his skills in front of a live nationwide audience.

The unbeaten cruiserweight will face Isiah Thomas - a southpaw who is also undefeated – this Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their title eliminator bout will air live as the televised co-feature in the 2015 season finale of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Spike TV.

Thomas is a rare cruiserweight that has a size advantage over Gassiev, but an even rarer breed willing to get in the ring whom head trainer Abel Sanchez refers to as “the next Gennady Golovkin.

“His mental development has been his biggest improvement. He’s physically much bigger now, but the mentality he possesses especially when he’s in the gym sparring with heavyweights, he is developing into a complete fighter. He’s a small heavyweight who fights like a middleweight.”

Ask any given sparring partner who’s been in there with him and they will tell you he’s a small heavyweight who fights like a big heavyweight.

“Murat Gassiev – that motherf****r hits hard,” heavyweight contender Chris Arreola said of his experience while training with the Russian banger in Big Bear, California.

The two worked in the same gym space for their recent training camps. Arreola was preparing for his December 12 showdown with Travis Kauffman, a fight he won by split decision. The final outcome was disputed, but Arreola’s energy at fight’s end was attributed to the work he put in during his time in Big Bear, also crediting Gassiev as one of the fighters who pushed him in the gym.

“He caught me in the ribs during one sparring session, I just never been hit like that before,” Arreola admitted. “This was a camp I was already determined to leave as a trim and ready fighter, but I knew I couldn’t half-ass it when he was there. Whenever I saw him in the gym when I arrived, I was like “F***, not that guy again.” But he makes you work in the gym, he makes you a better fighter.”

The boxing world will get to see how good he is – or isn’t – as he faces Thomas, who knows a thing or two about training in a tough environment. The 6’4” southpaw from Detroit learned his craft in the famed Kronk Gym, having previously trained with the late, great Emanuel Steward.

Thomas showed something in his latest win, a 10-round decision over previously unbeaten Jordan Shimmell in a major step-up fight this past July. Other opportunities were on the table for his final fight of 2015, including would have been a December 8 showdown with Keith Tapia on Fox Sports 1.

Had he gone that route, Gassiev would have been left searching for someone – anyone – to face him in a fight to determine the next mandatory challenger for reigning titlist Victor Ramirez. Instead, Thomas showed a willingness to stare down the barrel of a shotgun, which raises the level of respect from the 22-year old contender from Russia.

“I have great respect for Isiah Thomas, for taking this fight and what he can do in the ring,” Gassiev (22-0, 19KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “He’s a very good boxer, a well-trained boxer who is very quick. He is worthy of my attention and I expect a very tough fight.”

A stiff challenge is precisely what Gassiev can use as he storms into the title picture. He enters Friday’s bout having scored seven consecutive knockouts, including three straight since making his stateside debut earlier this year.

None have been on the level of what he will face Friday evening in Las Vegas; but then, you can only face the guys willing to get in front of you. If only for that reason, he is more excited about the fight that is immediately in front of him than any other since turning pro four years ago.

“I’m very excited for this fight, it’s a tremendous opportunity,” Gassiev says of the matchup and what will come with a winning performance. “It puts me one step closer to my dream, one win away from challenging for a world title. I’m going to show the world what I can do and not just win, but deliver a great performance.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox