Lausanne, Switzerland (January 26, 2024) – Russian city of Serpukhov starts the first 2024 edition of IBA Champions’ Night with the main event featuring two strong athletes, World Championships bronze medallist Vsevolod Shumkov from Russia and Tashkent-2023 runner-up Saidel Horta from Cuba, in a 10-round fight for Eliminator World Champion in 57kg. The winner will become a contender for a title fight with the rival to be determined in another eliminator bout shortly.
Shumkov participated in Tashkent in the 60kg division, and has never had a chance to meet Horta, who competed in the 57kg weigh category, and marched to the final in Uzbekistan’s capital, but was stopped one step before the top podium.
IBA Professional European Champion title in the 71kg weight category will be at stake in an 8-round fight between Russian Pavel Sosulin and Fatih Keles from Türkiye. In 2023, Sosulin reached the last 16 in Tashkent and won a World Boxing Tour event in Morocco, while his professional record improved to 8-0. Keles secured a title of European champion in 2011 on his home soil, and after turning professional in 2016, he scored 12 victories and 1 loss.
Serpukhov-born boxer representing Serbia, Artem Ageev and Aliaksei Alferau from Belarus will contest another IBA European title, in the 80kg division. Ageev, who holds the EUBC European champion title from 2022, will challenge IBA World Championships silver medallist Alferau, who has recently made his debut in pro boxing with one victory in the books, in an 8-round bout.
In an 8-round fight in +92kg, Russian boxer Artem Suslenkov faces Bilal Laggoune from Belgium.
Three more 6-round rating fights are scheduled to happen in Serpukhov on 3 February. Alexander Dorofeev from Russia challenges Austine Nnamdi from Nigeria in +92kg, Pavel Fedorov representing Serbia faces off against Davit Azizyan from Armenia in 63.5kg division, and Ruslan Belousov from Russia goes in the ring against Zholdas Zhengissov from Kazakhstan in the 57kg category.
You can watch the live broadcast of the event on our website here or buy tickets to see the action live in Serpukhov.
