The coming Thursday will mark the next return of professional boxing to Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic and one of the hotbeds of martial arts in Russia. Staged by Akhmat Promotion Company at the Uvais Akhtaev Sports Palace is a huge fight card, which will see the best of local boxing against top intrinsic and international opposition, which includes a former world champion among others.

Headlining the show is WBO #8 super middleweight Aslambek Idigov (16-0, 7 KOs), 23. Having started his pro career at a tender age of 17 and having competed mostly in Ukraine, he has been campaigning in Russian for the last three years. Idigov will face Slovakian opponent Robert Racz (21-1, 19 KOs) for the WBO European title belonging to the Chechen fighter Idigov. Racz’s record looks solid but it will be his debut outside of Hungary/Slovakia/Czech Republic, where he has been fighting since the onset of his career.

In a co-featured bout of the evening, WBO #4 light heavyweight Umar Salamov (24-1, 18 KOs), still 25, will continue his redeem against 30-year old Ghanaian Emanuel Danso (31-4, 26 KOs for Salamov WBO International Light Heavyweight Title. Salamov has been 5-0, 4 KOs, since his upset loss to Australian Olympian Damien Hooper in 2017.

The show will be aired live by Boets TV channel.

via Alexey Sukachev / BoxingScene.com

Top Russian Contenders Back in Action on September 19 in Grozny!

An explosive trio of Salita Promotions fighters will be back in action Thursday, September 19, in Grozny, Russia, as Umar Salamov and Apti Davtaev will all be featured in WBO important title fights.

In the night’s main event, Grozny’s own WBO #4-rated Salamov (24-1, 18 KOs) will attempt to make the third defense of WBO International Light Heavyweight Championship in a 10-round battle against WBO #5-rated Roamer Alexis Angulo (24-1, 21 KOs) of El Bordo, Colombia.

In the co-main event, Idigov (16-0, 7 KOs), also of Grozny, will look to make the first defense of his WBO European Super Middleweight Championship in a 10-round showdown with Robert Racz (21-1, 19 KOs) of Galanta, Slovenia.

Incredibly, the 25-year-old Salamov has already held the WBO Youth, WBO European, IBO World, IBF East/West Europe, WBO International, IBF International, IBF North American
EBP and IBO Youth Light Heavyweight Championships. He was last seen in April of this year in Grozny, defending his WBO International belt by stopping Poland’s Norbert Dabrowski in nine rounds.

“I am really happy to fight at home in Grozny,” said Salamov. “I get stronger fighting in front of my hometown. This is a very important fight against an experienced and brave boxer, but I will be looking for the knockout only. I don’t want there to be any doubts about it and no judges’ decisions. I will defend my title and step even closer to world title fight.”

23-year-old Idigov won the WBO and IBF European Super Middleweight Championships in April by winning a 12-round majority decision over Spain’s Ronny Landaeta. Idigov also won the IBO Youth Super Middleweight Title in December 2016 with a unanimous decision over countryman Igor Selivanov.

“For me it doesn’t matter whether I fight at home or abroad, but it always good to receive support of my people and to make them happy,” said Idigov. “For me to fight a power puncher like Robert Racz, who has more wins than I have is a big challenge, but I will knock him out. And by doing so, I will defend my title and collect another. I need fights against these kinds of opponents, who are hungry and dangerous and come to win.”