By Rick Reeno

With time running out and an unresolved visa issue, former champion Kendall Holt was removed from a planned fight with unbeaten junior welterweight contender Khabib Allakhverdiev (16-0, 7KOs), scheduled to take place on June 20th in Moscow, Russia. Khabib will now challenge IBO champion Kaizer Mabuza (24-8-3, 15KOs), who stopped Holt in six rounds back in February of 2010 in Atlantic City. Mabuza was beaten by Zab Judah last year in an IBF title fight, but he regrouped in March with an upset TKO over previously undefeated Steven Wills.