By Alexey Sukachev
Russian Boxing Federation announced the official fight card of the biggest Russian boxing event this year – World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final between world champions Olekandr Usyk and Murat Gassiev, produced under the aegis of Comosa AG and taking place at the Olimpiyskiy Sports Arena in Moscow, Russia, on July 21. Complementing the official roster is the official schedule of the WBSS Season Finale.
Leading the card is the third ever fight in boxing history to unify all four universally recognized championship belts (aside of the IBO), i.e. WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO. WBC/WBO champion and TBRB #1 rated cruiserweight Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) of Ukraine is set to unify against WBA/IBF champion and TBRB #2 200lber Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs) of Russia in the event of colossal proportions.
There were previously two fights, which involved all four of the major belts: the 2005 showdown between WBC/WBA/WBO/IBF champion Bernard Hopkins and his younger, bitter nemesis Jermain Taylor and the 2017 junior welterweight unification between WBC/WBO champion Terence Crawford and WBA/IBF (and also IBO) titlist Julius Indongo, which resulted in a quick demolition of the latter and grand crowning of Crawford.
Even more titles will be at stake in the co-main event, which will pit long-time P4P #1 female fighter Cecilia Braekhus (33-0, 9 KOs), who holds WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO welterweight crowns, against fellow undefeated but much bigger Russian Inna Sagaydakovskaya (7-0, 3 KOs) in her next defense of the titles.
The full card reads as follows:
1.. Shakhabas Makhmudov (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Malkhaz Sujashvili (10-2, 8 KOs) – 4 rounds, middleweights
2.. WBC #10 (147 lb) / WBA #14 (147 lb) / IBF #13 (154 lb) Konstantin Ponomarev (34-0, 13 KOs) vs. Sergey Vorobiev (6-0, 6 KOs) – 10 rounds for a vacant Russian light middleweight title
3.. WBA #10 Magomed Madiev (11-0, 4 KOs) vs. Marcelo Fabian Caceres (17-3, 12 KOs) – 12 rounds for WBA Asia middleweight title
4.. Sergey Bogachuk (9-0, 9 KOs) vs. Nikoloz Gviniashvili (19-11-4, 15 KOs) – 8 rounds, light middleweights
5.. WBA #9 Andrey Sirotkin (15-0, 4 KOs) vs. Vladimir Shishkin (6-0, 3 KOs) – 12 rounds for WBA I/C super middleweight title
6.. WBC #13 Denis Shafikov (39-4-1, 20 KOs) vs. Jhon Ghemino (17-10-1, 7 KOs) – 10 round, super featherweights
7.. WBA #1 / IBF #5 / WBC #9 Fedor Chudinov (17-2, 12 KOs) vs. WBC #7 / IBF #12 Nadjib Mokhammedi (40-5, 23 KOs) – 12 rounds for WBA International super middleweight title
8.. Cecilia Braekhus (33-0, 9 KOs) vs. Inna Sagaydakovskaya (7-0, 3 KOs) – 10 rounds for WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO/IBO welterweight titles
9.. WBC #1 / WBO #10 Mairis Briedis (23-1, 18 KOs) vs. Brandon Deslaurier (11-1-1, 1 KO) – 10 rounds, cruiserweights
10.. Olekandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) vs. Murat Gassiev (26-0, 19 KOs) – 12 rounds for WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO cruiserweight titles
Schedule of the events:
1.. Open media workout (Usyk, Gassiev, Brieids, Deslaurier, Braekhus, Sagaydakovskaya, Madiev, Chudinov) – 17/7, 5 PM LT @ Oceania MegaMall
2.. Final presser – 19/7, 1 PM LT @ Mercury Space, Moscow City
3.. Weigh-in – 20/7, 4 PM LT @ Rossiya Cinema Centre
4.. WBSS Season 2 Draw – 20/7, 9 PM LT @ Rossiya Cinema Centre
5.. WBSS Final – 21/7, 6 PM LT @ Olimpiyskiy Sports Arena
6.. The Boxing Day (Russia) – 22/7, 3 PM LT @ Manezhnaya Square
