NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA BOXERS TO FIGHT IN IBA CHAMPIONS’ NIGHT

IBA Champions’ Night comes to Moscow’s International Boxing Center to host a packed card on 31 January.

Muslim Gadzhimagomedov will feature in the WBA-sanctioned 10-round main event against Thabiso Mchunu of South Africa in the bridgerweight division as he continues to enjoy his rise in the professional ranks.

The WBA Bridgerweight champion is unbeaten in five bouts and last defeated Leon Harth unanimously at IBA Champions’ Night in Ufa in October. Mchunu (23-7) is a seasoned veteran who has stood in the ring against some of the best fighters in the world and will prove to be a difficult challenge for the Russian.

Also on the main card, home favorite Artem Suslenkov meets Belgium’s Jack Mulowayi over 10 rounds in the cruiserweight division for the IBF European title.

Suslenkov (11-0) continued his great streak in his last match, notably also in Moscow, winning by a unanimous decision against Germany’s Christian Hammer. Mulowayi (15-3-1) will be looking to make it five wins on the trot, having knocked out his opponent in all four since his last loss two years ago.

Russian Dmitry Zakharov and Saidjamshid Jafarov from Uzbekistan are to meet in the 71kg division over six rounds, bringing together two of the best at their weight category.

Zakharov recently won his first professional match by a unanimous decision convincingly against Wang Lequan of China at IBA Champions’ Night Kirov, but Jafarov (3-1) is another level of challenge. The IBA World Championships silver medallist and two-time Asian champion lost on his professional debut by a split decision against Yoenli Hernandez at the first-ever IBA Champions’ Night in Abu Dhabi in 2022 but has since defeated IBA World champion Sewon Okazawa from Japan, Kazakhstan’s Talgat Shayken and Russia’s Gor Oganesyan.

Samuel Carmona from Spain is slated to defend his IBA European Flyweight Champion title on the card over eight rounds, meeting Russia’s Artur Nagapetyan. His opponent (3-1) has been impressive in Russia winning all three of his fights there, with his only defeat coming from Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba at IBA Champions’ Night Dushanbe in 2023.

In the only women’s contest of the evening, Kazakhstan’s Angelina Lukas meets Ayisat Oriyomi from Nigeria in the Super Flyweight division. Lukas (11-1) has been on a six-match winning run since a majority decision loss to Daniela Asenjo in 2023. Of those six matches held last year, she won by knockout on three occasions. Oriyomi fights outside her home country for the first time as a professional when she comes to Moscow but currently holds an impressive nine-match winning streak.

Russia’s Ruslan Belousov is to compete in the 57kg division against Gabriel Santisima from the Philippines over six rounds.

Belousov has one IBA Pro victory and one loss, vanquishing Kazakhstan’a Zholdas Zhengissov in Serpukhov in February 2024, coming up short in Cuba to home favorite Saidel Horta. In his third IBA contest, he is to meet Santisima (7-0-1) who is known as the “Iron Punch” for his high return of knockouts, forcing the match to end early on six occasions.

Finally, Tamerlan Ozdoev from Russia and Mouhamed Oumarou of Cameroon will start the evening off with a six-round bout at the 63.5kg weight division. Ozdoev recently made his professional debut in December with a unanimous decision victory over Javokhir Juraev in St Petersburg, while Oumarou has three victories from three so far, all coming out of his home nation.

The IBA Champions’ Night story continues.

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Media contacts:

Elena Sobol, Head of Communications and PR, International Boxing Association: elena.sobol@iba.sport