Arslanbek Makhmudov out of the blue finds himself with no confirmed opponent for his subsequent battle.
BoxingScene.com has confirmed {that a} new foe awaits the unbeaten heavyweight contender, who will headline a December 16 present from Centre Gervais Auto in Shawinigan, Canada. Makhmudov was initially because of face Nigeria’s Raphael Akpejiori, who—in response to a breaking information report from Canada-based community TVA Sports activities—will as a substitute take a regional title battle in his house nation.
Occasion promoter Camille Estephan, head of Eye of The Tiger Administration (EOTTM), knowledgeable the information outlet {that a} alternative opponent has been secured, although additional specifics weren’t made accessible as this goes to publish.
The unique headliner was an intriguing pairing of undefeated heavyweights on the rise.
Makhmudov (15-0, 14KOs) is coming off a ten-round choice win over former title challenger Carlos Takam on September 10 in Montreal. The feat marked the primary distance for the 33-year-old Russian heavyweight now primarily based out of Montreal, who’d beforehand stopped each opponent he’d confronted and none lasting past the seventh spherical.
The 6’5½“ Makhmudov was taking a look at a uncommon dimension drawback previous to the change.
Akpejiori (14-0, 13KOs) was additionally pressured to accept a choice win for the primary time in his most up-to-date outing, an eight-round shutout of Terrell Jamal Woods on June 11 in Atlanta. The 6’8” Nigerian—now primarily based out of Miami—beforehand scored 13 straight knockouts, all in two rounds or much less.
A stable two-way take a look at gave the impression to be in retailer, just for EOTTM having to go in a special course because of circumstances past the corporate’s management.
“In full transparency, for me, it is not going to occur”, Estephan insisted to TVA Sports activities. “It was a shock as a result of a contract was signed, however evidently Raphael and his crew had been discussing on the similar time for a battle involving a belt in Nigeria.”
The brand new opponent for Makhmudov is anticipated to be introduced within the coming days.
The remainder of the present stays intact, together with a heavyweight crossroads bout between Quebec’s Simon Kean (21-1, 20KOs) and former title challenger Eric Molina (29-8, 21KOs).
Fringe middleweight contender Steven Butler (31-3-1, 26KOs) faces Joshua Conley (17-4-1, 11KOs) in a scheduled ten-round bout. A extra important pairing pits unbeaten Mary Spencer (7-0, 5KOs) and former four-time title challenger Femke Hermans (13-4, 5KOs) in a ten-round junior middleweight bout.
Spencer was lately named because the number-one and necessary contender for the WBC junior middleweight title held by lineal/WBC/IBF/WBO champ Natasha Jonas (13-2-1, 8KOs).
Makhmudov holds the WBC’s Silver title, although EOTTM was unsuccessful in getting him to advance within the rankings. With a win on December 16, he’ll then should subsequent face Kazakhstan’s Zhan Kossobutskiy (19-0, 18KOs).
Jake Donovan is a senior author for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox