Kanat Islam will test the middleweight waters against a foe who has been at the highest stage, as he will face former title challenger Walter Kautondokwa. Their WBO International middleweight title fight headlines Saturday evening at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Islam (26-0, 22KOs) fought at the same venue less than four months ago, scoring a 1st round knockout in his first trip back into the ring since 2017. The unbeaten Kazakh boxer represented his birth country China in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, and now trains in Oxnard, California.
Kautondokwa (18-1, 17KOs) fights for just the second time outside of his Namibia home country. His only other fight on the road resulted in his lone career loss, as Demetrius Andrade outpointed him over 12 rounds in their WBO middleweight championship contest last October in Boston, Massachussets.
UNDERCARD (MORE RESULTS TO COME)
Hard-punching Kazakh heavyweight Ruslan Myrsataev (7-0, 6 KOs) was forced to go the distance for the first time in his pro career as he was dragged into it by experiences Belarussian veteran journeyman Yuri Bykhovtsev (10-18-3, 5 KOs). Myrsataev dropped everything but a kitchen sink onto a natural cruiserweight but Bykhovtsev, known for his durability, has never been truly rocked. He went the distance in losing a comfortable (for the Kazakh) unanimous decision over eight.
An interesting scrap between Ukrainian Maksim Voronin (3-0-1, 1 KOs) and China-born/resided ethnic Kazakh Aketelieke Jieensi, which was turning into an all-out war, was cut short after an accidental headbutt in round three, which produced a major cut over Maksim's left eyelid. The official result is a third-round technical draw, the fourth one for the Chinese, who is now 10-3-4, 2 KOs.
Hard-hitting and well-travelled (he has already fought in the States and in Argentina) super middleweight southpaw Ayman Rysbek (7-0, 6 KOs) destroyed Uzbekistan's Mukhitdin Rajapbaev (10-7-1, 7 KOs). Former amateur standout put his opponent down midst into the first minute with a huge left bomb. Rajapbaev got up on heavy legs and was soon punched into submission with straight left hands, forcing his corner to signalize stoppage. Time was 0:58.
21-year old light welterweight Askar Erubek was tested mightily by RSA-based Ukraine-born Vladyslav Baranov (6-5-2, 4 KOs), 24, but overcome some adversity for a solid unanimous decision in a six-rounder.
Erubek (now 2-0, 1 KO) did some nice work in the first three round but Baranov was alway in his face, scoring with big left hooks, while Erubek was mostly targeting the Ukrainian's body. In the wild fourth, Erubek's liver shots finally got in, dropping always tough Baranov twice. The exotic Ukrainian, who has lost three of his four losses on either majority or split decisions, chewed it up and spit it out, picking up himself for a proper work at the ropes for the next minute and coming back strong against his punched-out opponent to close the round. Both fighters showed poise in the closing rounds but Erubek was just a notch more successful than his rival.
Recent heavyweight debutant Nursultan Amanzhulov (2-0, 1 KO) made a short work of very badly faded Latvian journeyman Edgars Kalnars (27-49-1, 18 KOs). Kalnars, 42, took a knee twice in the first after what seemed to be light punches to the head, then retired in his corner after the first round. Hardly a learning experience for the Kazakh fighter. Kalnars lost for the fifteenth consecutive time (fourteen wins inside the distance) and more than eleven years removed from his latest career win against a live opponent in 2008.
In a battle of two featherweight youngsters,Uzbekistan's Beksultan Raushanov improved his record to 6-1, 4KOs, after a dominant stoppage of fellow once-defeated Romanian Alexandru Ionita (7-2-1, 5KOs) in the sixth round of scheduled six.
Raushanov dropped his foe with a major right uppercut in the opening round and then continued to dominate shorter but game Ionita. The Romanian, though severely outgunned, continued to try his luck inside. In the sixth, Raushanov's dominance became more visible and painful for the Romanian. He finally turned his back onto the Uzbek late in the round and was issued the standing eight. Raushanov continued his assault and finally punched Ionita into a haltm prompting Romanian's party to throw in a towel.
In the first bout of the evening, local prospect Saparbay Aydarov (4-0, 2 KOs) outpunched and outboxed tough and durable but overmatched Ukrainian Yaroslav Manuilov (2-3, 2 KOs) over six rounds.
Ukraine's Manuilov was vigorously fighting back during the first half of the six-rounder but faded as the bout progressed. Aydarov did his best to close the show but instead had to settle for his second straight decision win. Manuilov's record falls below .500, although he still has not been dropped or stopped in his young career. He does head home with his second straight loss, however. both taking coming in his opponent's home country.