On Sunday, August 23, in the Great Ballroom at Rixos Mriya Resort Hotel in Yalta, Crimea, Russian light heavyweight champion Stanislav Kashtanov (33-1, 19 KOs), who is ranked #5 by the WBA, fights Felix Valera (12-0, 12 KOs), from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, currently ranked #6 at light heavy, for the interim WBA World light heavyweight title.
In the co-main event, #2 ranked Dmitry “Night Wolf” Chudinov (14-1-2, 9 KOs) faces Geard Ajetovic (26-12-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBA International middleweight title.
In a stacked undercard, Azerbaijani Ramal Amanov (8-0) puts his unbeaten streak on the line when he faces Dominican Ranses Payano (19-1 with 8 KOs) for the vacant WBA International super lightweight title.
Also on the card, Dilmurod Satybaldiev (8-1) will face Dmitry Sukhotsky (22-3) in a light heavyweight 12-rounder. Middleweight Magomed Madiev (1-0) will face Artem Merzlikin (5-1-1) in a four-round fight. Nikolay Buzolin (1-0) will face Diego Garduño in a six-round bout.
The bouts are promoted by Vladimir Hrunov and will be broadcast live on Russia 2 TV.
At Saturday’s weight-in, which was overseen by Mariana Borissova, all the fighters in Crimea made weight.
To add to the festivities, Vladimir Hrunov invited former four-time world champion Roy Jones Jr. to the event, who took time from his busy schedule to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Friday Jones, Hrunov, and Fedor Chudinov, Dmitry’s brother who won the WBA World super middleweight title in his last fight against Felix Sturm, attended the “Motorcycle Show” which included a live rock concert, fireworks, and a dramatization of the Red Army fending off Nazi Germany during World War II. Over 150,000 were on hand to participate in the festivities.
Also on Friday afternoon, Roy Jones Jr., wearing a special gravity suit on a private basketball court at Rixos Mriya, gave a demonstration of strength training, fitness, and hand speed. Joining Jones was the Russian Inna Zdanova, world champion of “Hand to Hand” (H2H), whom the promoter Hrunov expects to debut in professional boxing.
“Not only does she hit harder than Ronda Rousey,” said Hrunov. “She is also prettier.”
The scenario of the Hreat Ballroom of Hotel Rixos Mriya is unique. It has only 300 seats, which are going for $1,000 each. It is expected that a”who’s who” of Russian high society will be in attendance today.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
