WBA Titles Will Be at Stake in Donetsk on January 14

WBA Festivities hit Donetsk on January 14

By Alexey Sukachev

Union Boxing Promotion, one of Ukraine’s best pugilistic caretakers, isn’t one which prefers quantity over quality. Their events are sparse but when it comes to something big and sound the Donetsk-based promotional stable is here to deliver them both: quantity and quality at the same time. That is the case on January 14, when Yuri Ruban, his assistant Dmitry Eliseev and their staff will unify some gutsy efforts to produce a so-called “Pro Boxing Show VIII” at Cosmos palace of sports in Union’s Donbas citadel.

The event will be a natural display of a steady relationship between local promoter and the World Boxing Association, as five minor titles under the WBA aegis will be showcased with several best prospects taking their parts. Though not as sound and as bombastic as “Pro Boxing Show VII”, which featured a world championship between Vyacheslav Senchenko and Charlie Jose Navarro, this show will be a major attraction for local fans and boxing community.

Two WBA I/C titles will be contested during the event. Formerly ranked featherweight Oleg Yefimovich (18-2, 11 KOs) will see action for the first time since his upset loss to Frenchman Sofiane Takoucht in August when he dropped his EBU title. Yefimovich, a busy boxer-puncher, faces Takoucht’s compatriot Philippe Frenois (13-2-1, no KOs). Though defeating only limited opposition, Frenois, 25, is known to be a tough job for everyone forcing two undefeated prospects (Krzysztof Cieslak and Marcel Meyerdircks) to work it to the limit in their fights.

Also, tall Georgian cruiserweight Yago Kiladze (15-0, 10 KOs) is supposed to have an easier job versus Hungarian Zoltan Czekus (14-4-1, 7 KOs), who will be brought there as an opponent. This fight is also set for a vacant WBA intercontinental belt.

Three EBA fights will support the WBA festivities in Donetsk. WBA #11 super middleweight Server Emurlayev (18-0, 6 KOs) will put his title at stake against former Baltic Boxing Union international champion Anton Sjomkin (10-2, 9 KOs) of Estonia. Sjomkin is known as a hard puncher and is expected to test Emurlayev’s skills in a cracker. WBA #7 junior welterweight Vladimir Kravets (23-0, 14 KOs) will try to further solidify his ranks fighting for a vacant EBA light welterweight title. Short but powerful slugger Kravets will take on little-know Frenchman Bastien Laforge (12-1-1, 1 KO) also over 12. Finally, Donetsk veteran Stanyslav Merdov (31-7, 23 KOs) will try his skills one more time against limited Georgian Nikoloz Berkatsashvili (17-6, 7 KOs) in a bid for a vacant EBA featherweight title.

Six more bouts will constitute an undercard of the show:

Artiom Karpets (11-0, 5 KOs) vs. Mykola Korenev (2-5) – 8 rounds, light middleweight;
Artiom Redko (17-2-1, 9 KOs) vs. Ivan Maslov (6-6-1) – 8 rounds, super middleweight;
Alexander Gryschuk (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Sergey Tassimov (9-34-2, 2 KOs) – 6 rounds, flyweight;
Ruslan Scheliov (4-0, 4 KOs) vs. Leontiy Vorontsuk (19-47-1, 6 KOs) – 6 rounds, middleweight;
Andriy Kudriavtsev (34-8, 15 kOs) vs. Alexey Shorokhov (3-6, 3 KOs) – 6 rounds, lightweight;
Alexander Yegorov (4-0, 3 KOs) vs. Ravil Mukhamadiarov (7-37, 6 KOs) – 6 rounds, super bantamweight;
Doors are open since 3 PM LT. The show will be broadcasted live by http://www.youz.tv from 7 PM LT.