Azinga Fuzile: record, next fight and profile →
Martin J. Ward thinks he has all the answers for Azinga Fuzile as he prepares to travel to Las Vegas to meet the South African in a final eliminator for the IBF World Super-Featherweight title on Saturday May 29 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Mandalay Bay, live worldwide on DAZN.
Chantelle Cameron will defend her WBC World Super-Lightweight title against Melissa Hernandez on the undercard of Devin Haney’s WBC World Lightweight title defense against Jorge Linares on Saturday May 29 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, live worldwide on DAZN – with more tickets to go on sale at 10am PT tomorrow (April 25).
One of South Africa's best boxing talent Azinga Fuzile will introduce himself to the American boxing audience when he takes on Martin Ward of the UK in an IBF world junior lightweight title eliminator at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas on May 29.
On the heels of ordering a fight for its currently vacant junior lightweight title, the IBF has taken measures to secure a future mandatory challenger down the road. The IBF is set to formally order a title eliminator between England’s Martin Ward and South Africa’s Azinga Fuzile to determine the next number-one contender for the 130-pound title. Eddie Hearn, Ward’s promoter confirmed the development during an Instagram Live session on Wednesday when commenting on his fighter’s future plans.
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov has been cleared to maintain his mandatory ranking and proceed with a due title shot. So much time has passed since reaching that point, however, that the unbeaten contender will have to set his sights on a new target. A four-month investigation into Rakhimov’s 8th round knockout of Azinga Fuzile failed to provide any evidence of wrongdoing, as officially ruled by the International Boxing Federation (IBF). A number of issues were raised stemming from their 130-pound title eliminator last September in East London, South Africa, including what Fuzile’s team argued was illegal use of a smelling salt by Rakhimov’s corner in between rounds.
On the heels of winning the biggest fight of his career to date, Shavkat Rakhimov and his team are prepared for the long haul for another battle beyond the ropes. The unbeaten 130-pound contender from Russia emerged as the mandatory challenger to reigning titlist Tevin Farmer following a come-from-behind 8th round knockout Azinga Fuzile (14-1, 8KOs) in their Sept. 29 title eliminator on the road in East London, South Africa. Shortly after the bout—and as previously reported by BoxingScene.com—Fuzile’s team took immediate measures to protest the contest, on the basis of video evidence which showed Rakhimov’s assistant trainer administering what appears to be smelling salts or a similar product underneath Rakhimov’s nostrils.
South African boxing commission has threatened to ban Russian boxer Shavkat Rakhimov from ever coming to the country. This after a stash of drugs containing used and sealed bottles, pharmaceutical material including syringes, tubing and drips were found in his hotel room in East London, South Africa where he contested the IBF world junior lightweight title against local star Azinga Fuzile (15-1, 8 KOs) last weekend.
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov’s bailout knockout of Azinga Fuzile made for an instant highlight reel, though the drama surrounding the bout is hardly limited to its shock ending. BoxingScene.com has learned that the handlers for Fuzile (14-1, 8KOs) are examining the process for filing an official protest with the South Africa boxing commission and the International Boxing Federation regarding Sunday’s super featherweight title eliminator in East London South Africa.
Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov couldn’t have enjoyed a more dramatic arrival on the title stage. The unbeaten Russian southpaw erased a massive deficit on the scorecards with an 8th round stoppage of Azinga Fuzile in their super featherweight title eliminator Sunday in East London, South Africa. Rakhimov twice floored Fuzile in the pivotal frame, the latter of the two forcing an immediate stoppage.
Azinga Fuzile remains home for his promised title eliminator, which is now a battle between unbeaten super featherweights. The rising contender from South Africa will now face Russia's Shavkat Rakhimov, who replaces previously top-rated challenger Kenichi Ogawa in an International Boxing Federation (IBF)-approved super featherweight title eliminator. The bout is schedued to place Sept. 29 at the Orient Theatre in Fuzile's hometown of East London, South Africa.