Comments Thread For: Fazliddin Gaibnazarov Inks Pact With Top Rank

[Mitchell Kane]

Markets such as? That red hot Uzbekistan market? If there was a market there he would be fighting there. Others have pointed out he isn't the best fighter from is team.

What makes you think Top Rank wouldn't try to sign other boxers from Uzbekistan?

After they signed Zou Shiming, they didn't stop signing Chinese boxers, they signed Rex Tso and Ik Yang and got involved with other boxers.

After they signed Lomachenko, from Ukraine, they signed his 2012 Olympics teammate Gvozdyk...after they signed Esquiva Falcao, from Brazil, they signed Robson Conceicao...who was a teammate of his the 2012 Olympics (who then competed in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil).

Uzbekistan isn't the biggest market, but what they do have is 7 medalists from the 2016 Olympics.

Gaibnazarov might not be the best of that lot, but he's the oldest of the group (even though he's only 25)...and he's looking to be moved fast ("Gaibnazarov is expected to make his pro debut in an eight-round bout in the spring.")

If they build something with Gaibnazarov, maybe that leads to other signings and opens up the market more.

Either way, if they set up something with Uzbekistan/Eurasian TV, then the risk might not be all that big....and the potential gains could be significant.

Many of the former Olympians they've signed aren't even getting a lot of TV time in the US, and if they are it's seems more likely to be on UniMas than HBO, but they're getting on television in their home markets.

Look at Ryota Murata...a pro since 2013, he's already ranked in the top 5 by all 4 orgs, but he's fought most of his entire career so far in Japan on Japanese TV.

He's only had 2 fights in the US, and a few in China...but regardless of where fight is staged, they're getting him on Japanese TV and that brings in money.

One would assume Top Rank would seek something similar for Gabnazarov.