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IBRAGIMOV AND CHAGAEV TO UNIFY HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BELTS IN MOSCOW THIS
OCTOBER
HOLLYWOOD, FL, June 28 – This October, after almost eight years of
splintered titles and heated debates, boxing will witness the crowning
of a unified Heavyweight Champion of the World, as Sultan Ibragimov will
put his WBO crown on the line against Ruslan Chagev’s WBA belt in a bout
pitting Champion against Champion in a quest for heavyweight supremacy.
This bout, scheduled for October 13th, will take place at a location to
be announced, in Moscow, Russia. This historic event is not only the
first unification bout between two European-born fighters and the first
heavyweight unification bout held outside the United States, but it is
the first heavyweight unification bout since 1999, when Lennox Lewis and
Evander Holyfield engaged in two bouts with each fighter’s titles up for
grabs. Since then, the titles have broken off and fight fans no longer
can point to one fighter and say ‘that’s the champion.’
But on October 13th, that will all change!
“When I became champion, I said my only goal was to unify the belts and
become the only world heavyweight champion,” said Ibragimov. “This is my
first step towards that goal.”
Ibragimov-Chagaev, a 12 round heavyweight title unification bout, is
presented by Nafta Moskva, and will be promoted by Seminole Warriors
Boxing, Golden Grain Promotions and Sampson Lewkowicz, in association
with Universum Box Promotions. Broadcast plans for the bout will be
announced once they are secured.
“Both Sultan and Ruslan are true fighters and this may have been the
easiest fight I’ve ever put together,” said Leon Margules, Executive
Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “They don’t want to worry about
easy fights or mandatories; they want to unify this belt and put
heavyweight boxing on the map. There is no doubt in my mind that the
winner of this fight has earned the right to be called “THE” heavyweight
champion of the world.”
“I have been working with Sultan Ibragimov for five years and I knew
from the very first day, Sultan would be the best heavyweight champion
in the world,” said Sampson Lewkowicz.
A 2000 Olympic Silver medalist for Russia, Sultan Ibragimov (21-0-1, 17
KOs) struck heavyweight Gold in June when he decisively decisioned
Shannon Briggs over 12 rounds to win the WBO heavyweight championship.
For the fifth southpaw to win the heavyweight crown, it was the
culmination of a journey that began in Dagestan and which led him to
wins over Al Cole, Lance Whitaker, and Javier Mora. Now, the 32-year old
– who can either box or bang between the ropes - will return home to
face his greatest challenge yet.
Nicknamed “White Tyson” for his tenacious style and his concussive
punching power, 28-year old Ruslan Chagaev (23-0, 17 KOs) showed another
impressive aspect to his fight game in April when he strategically and
technically picked apart seven-foot giant Nikolay Valuev en route to a
12 round decision win and the WBA heavyweight championship. It was the
biggest win to date for the former two-time world amateur champion from
Andizhan, Uzbekistan, whose road to becoming only the fourth southpaw
heavyweight champion in history included wins over Vladimir Virchis,
Michael Sprott, and former world titlist John Ruiz. |
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