Abu Dhabi: The International Boxing Association (IBA) on Wednesday announced the fight card for its first Champions’ Night, which will become a jewel in the crown of the Global Boxing Forum here on December 11.
Eight exciting fights are to take place in the newly established IBA pro tournament at the stunning Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.
Several rematches are set to happen during the IBA Champions’ Night, where we will see previous Olympic and World Championships bouts contested.
World and Olympic champion Bakhodir Jalolov from Uzbekistan is to fight against national champion, first-ever Olympic Games participant from Bahrain, Danis Latypov in the super heavyweight class. The boxers have already met at the Olympic Qualification in Amman, where Latypov lost unanimously by points in the quarterfinals.
Two-time World Champion, Olympic silver medalist from France Sofiane Oumiha will meet with European Games medalist from Armenia Karen Tonakanyan in a re-match after Oumiha eliminated Tonakanyan with an RSC-I at the last IBA World Championships. Both boxers are competing as professionals now.
World Champion and Silver Olympic medalist Muslim Gadzhimagomedov from Russia is to face World Championships bronze medalist Enmanuel Reyes Pla from Spain. Gadzhimagomedov won their last fight at the Olympic Qualifiers finals by points.
Italian Irma Testa won silver at the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, and Karina Ibragimova from Kazakhstan became a bronze medalist. However, the boxers didn’t have a chance to meet at these competitions, as Ibragimova lost her semi-final, and Testa won hers. This will be a fantastic rematch from two well-established and well-respected boxers.
Asian Championships silver medalist Zeyad Eashash from Jordan and World champion and two-time Olympic champion Roniel Iglesias from Cuba met in the preliminary fight of the latest World Championships. The contest was stopped after an unintentional head clash in the first round, and Eashash was declared a winner by points.
UAE National champion Amer Husain Ali Saeed is to fight World Championships bronze medalist Reese Lynch from Scotland. The boxers, both 21 years old, have not fought at the major events against each other.
Saidjamshid Jafarov from Uzbekistan, 3-times Asian champion, is to face defending World Champion from Cuba Yoenlis Hernandez Martinez. Jafarov was competing at the same World Championships, however, was eliminated in the quarterfinal bout.
In another fight between two professional boxers, Ruslan Fayfer from Russia will fight again Kevin Johnson from the USA. This will be a master class of boxing, from two well-seasoned professionals who have an outstanding pedigree known across the circuit worldwide.
–IANS