Kirill Shchekutyev, a deputy general secretary of the Russian Boxing Federation and a member of the WBA governing board, revealed some plans on future fights and prospects of several Russian fighters in his video-interview for the RBF’s portal two weeks ago. Here are the most interesting excerpts:

“We are still planning a major show on July 22, which is the International Boxing Day in Russia. We hope to arrange it at the Red Square but we are also looking for extra variants. We aren’t set yet but we shall soon announce the card. The Patriot company is about to promote it, and WBA Gold champion (also rated #5 by the WBC) Fedor Chudinov (22-2, 15 KOs) is a possible headliner”.

“We are in the final stage of ongoing negotiations for the WBA interim title fight for the WBA Gold super flyweight champion Mikhail Aloyan (5-1). This fight will most probably take place in Kemerovo in mid-October”.

“The hope is still alive for the unified WBC/IBF light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) to conduct the defense of his title on a domestic soil. Initially, we planned it as a part of the WBC Convention, which unfortunately turned to the online format due to pandemics. All arrangements with the Top Rank were in place though, so we continue negotiations for a possible event in Russia. Eddie Hearn is another promoter, who we are interested in to bring his fighters to Russia”.

On Alexander Besputin situation: “The B probe was tested, and the same substance was found in same quantity. Right now, Alexander and his attorney are investigating how it had found a way to his body in such a negligible amount. We hope this investigation will be indicative. I stand for the old concept that someone is innocent until proven guilty. We hope that the WBA board won’t make any prompt decisions before the end of investigation”.

IN OTHER NEWS

Two locally known fighters in Aram Faniyan and Stanislav Skorokhod got back to the ring in the first significant post-COVID event in Kiev, Ukraine, which was promoted by Victoria Olshana of the Sparta Boxing Promotions on July 1.

Faniyan (now 17-1, 2 KOs) scored a rare KO win, blitzing no-hoper Nadir Bakshiyev (5-10-3) in just 72 seconds, while hard-punching Skorokhod (20-2, 17 KOs), who competes both in Ukraine and overseas and was a semifinalist of the Boxcino tournament in 2015, stopped Vladislav Tantsiura (2-6, 1 KO) on a cut in round five.