Russian Boxing Scene Update: Upcoming Events

By Alexey Sukachev

After a winter pause, the Russian fight scene is awakening in an increased tempo, making up for the lazy schedule before with several events of different sizes and value in just a couple of weeks. The biggest events – one in Chelyabinsk and one in Nizhny Tagil, both in Ural Mountains – have already taken place.

More shows of lower profile but still notable are getting loaded in the coming days.

Solnechnyy, Feb. 25

In a day, Andrey Kalaydzhian of the Victory Team will present a nice-packed night of boxing at the Event-Hall. Headlining the show is a trio of ten-round fights.

Local favorite Evgueny Vazem (6-3, 2 KOs) is in for a purposed rematch with young action hero Alexander Kotov (5-3, 2 KOs). Vazem was 0-3 just a year ago, one of his losses being a unanimous decision loss to then 1-0 Kotov. He won six straight after that, which includes four split decision victories. Kotov has lost his last two. Interestingly, both fighters had their latest fights in the Middle East: Vazem outtoughed Ugandan Deo Kizito in Dubai, UAE, while Kotov lost on a split to Shankar Thapa in Bhopal, India.

Russian middleweight champion Artur Osipov (10-0, 6 KOs), who scored eight wins in 2016, collides with Ruslan Khamikoev (6-1-1, 3 KOs) to define the CIS champion.

In arguably the most exciting fight of the night, Tatyana Zrazhevskaya (4-0, 2 KOs) will head out for her toughest career test by far, clashing against former WBC/WBA bantamweight titleholder and multi-time European champion Galina Koleva Ivanova (16-14-4, 2 KOs) for a vacant WBC CISBB female super bantamweight title. Finally, undefeated light heavyweights Andrey Chentsov (5-0-2, 1 KO) and Artem Brusov (5-0, 4 KOs) will fight each-other in a scheduled eight-rounder. Three more fights will round up a card.

Berezovskiy, March 4

German Titov and his RCC Boxing Promotions will present a small boxing card incorporated into a major MMA event at the Leader SC.

Headlining the boxing part of the show is the Ukraine-born slugger Vladyslav Baranov (5-1-1, 4 KOs), who will risk his WBC CISBB welterweight title versus Vladimir-based Armenian Vaginak Tamrazyan (11-3, 3 KOs), who was once Russian welterweight champion but is just 1-2 in 2016.

Unbeaten heavyweight Anton Dryuchin (5-0, 5 KOs) and 18-year old Tajik welterweight Naimdzhon Makhmadsafarov (3-0, 2 KOs) will also take part in the show.

Balashikha, March 4

Balashikha is an industrial town located on the Eastern outskirts of Moscow. It’s also a battling ground for World of Boxing younger pupils, who will participate in another local installment.

Headlining the event is WBO #10 and IBF #11 lightweight Roman Andreev (18-0, 13 KOs), who will risk his WBO I/C title versus Namibian Abraham Ndauendapo (15-3, 5 KOs), who will fight for the first time out of his native land.

On the same card, cruiserweight Alexey Papin (5-0, 4 KOs), best known for his kickboxing achievements, will test his boxing skills against Argentinean import Sergio Alberto ‘El Condor’ Anjel (12-1-1, 6 KOs), who has lost his unbeaten record in December 2017 against another Russian Maxim Maslov.

Also, taking part in the show are super middleweight Andrey Sirotkin (11-0, 3 KOs) and middleweight Alexander Sharonov (8-1, 4 KOs).