Denis Shafikov: record, next fight and profile →
BoxingScene.com had previously reported that IBO/WBA 'regular' junior middleweight champion Erislandy Lara (21-2-2, 12KOs) would defend his titles on November 13th in Miami, as the headliner of a Premier Boxing Champions card. The Miami date has been moved up and he will now return on November 25th, as part of the Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN series.
Russian's Denis Shafikov (36-1-1, 13KOs) has a set date for his bout against Rances Barthelemy (23-0, 13KOs) of Cuba. According to Ural Boxing Promotions, who co-promote Shafikov with Top Rank, they were advised that a date of November 14th was being finalized at a venue in Las Vegas. Shafikov and Barthelemy will battle for the vacant IBF lightweight championship. The belt was vacated by Mickey Bey who refused to go forward with a bout against Shafikov.
The battle for the vacant IBF lightweight championship between Rances Barthelemy (23-0, 13KOs) and Denis Shafikov (36-1-1, 20KOs) is heading to a Premier Boxing Champions card in the fall, according to Alexey Vasiliev of Urlal Boxing Promotions, who co-promote Shafiov with Top Rank. Barthelemy is advised by Al Haymon. Shafikov became the mandatory challenger to champion Mickey Bey, who vacated the belt several weeks. The sanctioning organization then ordered Barthelemy and Shafikov to fight each other for the vacant belt.
A full night action headlined by a 12-round cruiserweight showdown between Beibut Shumenov (15-2, 10 KOs) and B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs). Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with a 10-round contest between undefeated cruiserweights Jordan Shimmell (19-0, 16 KOs) and Isiah Thomas (14-0, 6 KOs).</p> <p> Former World Champion Rico Ramos (24-4, 12 KOs) takes on hard-hitting Claudio Marrero (18-1, 13 KOs) in a featherweight battle on Saturday, July 25 at the Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.</p> <p> Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions are priced at $100.50, $75.50, $50.50, and $20.50, plus applicable fees and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at <a href="http://www.ticketmaster.com"> www.ticketmaster.com</a>
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas - The IBF recently ordered Denis Shafikov (36-1-1, 20KOs) and Rances Barthelemy (23-0, 13KOs) to fight for the vacant lightweight championship that Mickey Bey vacated several weeks ago. Shafikov challenged Miguel Vazquez for the IBF crown last February and lost pretty handedly on the scorecards over twelve. Since the sole of his career, Shafikov secured three wins in a row and is now trained by experienced coach Abel Sanchez, who is currently best known for training IBO/WBA middleweight king Gennady Golovkin.
Thirteen years into his pro career, 34-year old Cesar Cuenca (48-0, 2 KO) of Barrio Santa Brigida, Buenos Aires, Argentina, finally got a crack at a major title and made the most of it on Saturday at the Venetian Resort Cotai Arena in Macau, China. Scoring and surviving a knockdown in the fight, Cuenca boxed beautifully to win a clear unanimous decision over 30-year old Ik Yang (19-1, 14 KO) of Da Lian, China, to capture the vacant IBF belt at 140 lbs. The belt became available when Lamont Peterson was stripped after a non-title loss at Welterweight to Danny Garcia earlier this year. Cuenca came into the bout just below the division limit of 140 lbs at 139 ½, Yang at 139 ¾. The referee was Danrex Tapdasan.
Trainer Abel Sanchez has been working with lightweight contender Denis Shafikov for the better part of the last five months and he's more than pleased by what he's seen as they prepare to go to China for their July 18th fight. "It's been a real pleasure because I finally got a guy in the gym that wants to work as hard as Gennady (Golovkin)," said Sanchez via cell-phone from his gym, 'the Summit' on Monday. The Russian southpaw helped Jose Zepeda get ready for his shot at the vacant WBO lightweight crown versus Terry Flanagan.
The IBF lightweight title is now up for grabs, after reigning titlist Mickey Bey relinquished the crown in lieu of honoring his mandatory obligations. Bey (21-1-1, 10KOs) was slated to face top-rated challenger Denis Shafikov on July 18 in Macao, China. The bout was placed on a show promoted by Top Rank, who earned the right to host the fight as the sole bidder during a purse bid hearing earlier this year. The show will go on in Macao, just without the lightweight title fight as Bey has since had a change of heart about traveling abroad.
As previously reported by BoxingScene.com, Top Rank won a purse bid for a mandatory defense of the IBF lightweight title between reigning champion and TBRB #2 135-lber Mickey Bey (21-1-1, 10 KOs) and his obligatory challenger Denis Shafikov (35-1-1, 19 KOs) of Miass, Russia. The bid came after a round of fruitless negotiations between the Top Rank, which co-promotes IBF #1 Shafikov, and Mayweather Promotions, which guides Bey, which resulted in cancellation of the contest, pre-planned for April 30 in Las Vegas, NV.
Top Rank, who promote mandatory challenger Dennis Shafikov, won the IBF's mandatory purse bid for their fighter's crack at IBF lightweight champion Mickey Bey. Top Rank was the only bidder present and submitted an amount of $78,000, with a 75-25 split in favor of the champion. The fight was scheduled to go forward on April 30th as part of an ESPN card from the Palms Casino in Las Vegas - part of Mayweather-Pacquiao fight week. But then the fight fell apart after Bey was apparently unhappy with the money being offered, $200,000. No word if the fight will still go forward as planned on the April date or get pushed over to a later time. Bey captured the title last year with a close, and some felt controversial decision, over Miguel Vazquez, who holds a decision win over Shafikov.