WBO Bouts in Grozny: WBO European Title Idigov-Racz & WBO International Title Salamov-Danso

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.”

On Saturday, December 1, at the Galaktika Culture Centre in Sochi, Russia, Umar Salamov will defend his WBO International Light Heavyweight Championship when he faces once-beaten Emmanuel “Horse Power” Anim in an explosive 10-round showdown.

Salamov (22-1, 17 KOs), from Alkhan-Kala, Russia, is currently ranked WBO #10 in the world. Anim (13-1-1, 11 KOs), from Accra, Ghana, is a former Ghanaian Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion. The fight will also be televised live in Russia on Match TV.

“I take every fight seriously,” said Salamov. “My preparations have been excellent for this match. I scored a KO in all my wins this year and I’ll do it again on December 1.”

Salamov caught the boxing public’s eye in North America last June with a brutal one-punch knockout over respectable prospect Brian Howard. With top-10 rankings by every major sanctioning body, it’s a matter of time for the 24-year-old slugger.

“The light heavyweight division is one of the most talent-packed in boxing,” said Salamov’s promoter, Dmitriy Salita. “Umar is one of the best in the world and with an impressive victory on December 1, he will be one step closer to reaching his goal of becoming a world champion.”

On Wednesday, September 5, fearless Russian light heavyweight contender Umar Salamov (21-1, 16 KOs) will risk his WBO #14 rankings when he takes on treacherous KO puncher Denis Liebau (23-2, 21 KOs) of Frankfurt Germany, for the WBO International Light Heavyweight Championship.

The explosive 10-round showdown will be held in the Amphitheater at the five-star Grozny City Hotel in Salamov’s hometown of Grozny, Russia, and televised live in Russia on Match TV.

Eager for a shot at the world championship, Salamov has lately been honing his craft at the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit, while issuing public challenges to dangerous world champions Eleider Alvarez (WBO) and Dmitry Bivol (WBA). He was last seen in the ring in June, winning the IBF North American Championship by scoring an impressive ninth-round knockout over Brian Howard, live on Showtime.

“I love training in Detroit,” said Salamov. “I am excited to be back in the ring fighting for the prestigious WBO International belt. I’ve already held this title and I feel it belongs to me. I am the best light heavyweight in the world and look forward to proving that point in an impressive way on September 5, in front of my hometown fans.

Already known for going right at every hard-punching opponent he faces, Salamov says he’s going to be even more relentless against Liebau.

“I will be looking for another knockout,” he said. “Working with Head Trainer Javan “Sugar” Hill Stewart and my co-trainer Rick Philips has taught me so many new things. I am in incredible shape and I feel like it is impossible to beat me right now.”

“Umar’s world-class experience, skills and now a world class training regimen make him one of the best light heavyweights in the world,” said Salamov’s co-promoter, Dmitriy Salita (along with Kazbek Aslambekov of KA-Promotions). “Umar is facing a real experienced challenger in Denis Liebau, but I know he is poised for an impressive victory. He wants to make a statement and put the names in the division on notice. I know that he will put his skill set on display and will be impressive September 5.”

  Australian Damien Hooper (right) strikes Umar Salamov of Russia during their light-heavyweight title fight in Brisbane.  Photo Credit:  DAVE HUNT

BOXING: Dalby’s Damien Hooper has called out pound-for-pound world No.1 Andre Ward after scoring a shock win in the light- heavyweight division on the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn undercard on Sunday.

Promoter Bob Arum immediately met with Queensland’s Hooper after his upset victory at Suncorp Stadium and wants him to fight in the United States as early as August.

Hooper defeated WBO and IBF International light- heavyweight champion Umar Salamov 96-94 on all three judges’ cards, taking the Russian’s belts and his top 10 world rankings.

 Australia’s Damien Hooper (right) celebrates being announced the winner of his WBO and IBO International light-heavyweight fight against Russia’s Umar Salamov.  Photo Credit: DAN PELED

It was Salamov’s first defeat of his 20-fight career and Hooper moves to 13-1 and some potentially huge bouts down the road including against arguably the best boxer on the planet.

“Ward is a superstar, everything you strive to be like but when it comes to skills I match him,” Hooper said.

“He’s just smart and he’s been there, he’s got a boxing brain.

“I’ve just got to get there, get the experience, be in the wars in training and sparring and I can match him. I can match anyone.”

Hooper, 25, outworked Salamov with busy bodywork and sharp combinations, stepping up his intensity in the 10th and final round to rubber stamp his victory.

It was a remarkable moment for a man who was in jail a little over 12 months ago.

“The first thing I could think of was my son, he is the reason I wanted to do so well,” Hooper said.

“All the hard work, I think about him and his future and that’s just motivated me to be a better man and made me more mature.”

When the WBO and IBF ratings come out early next week, Hooper is expected to be ranked in the top 10 in both and possibly as high as No.5.

That will put him in the mix to fight the biggest names in the division including Ward, Sergey Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson.

www.chinchillanews.com.au/news/hooper-sets-sights-on-world-no1/3195938/

Date:  Sunday, July 2, 2017

WBO INTERNATIONAL LT. HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:  Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Promoter:  Duco Events Ltd/Dean Lonergan –  Top Rank/Bob Arum  

Supervisor:   Leon Panoncillo

Referee: Phil Austin

Judges:   Katsuhiko Nakamura 96-94, Adam Height 96-94, Danrex Tapdasan  96-94

Results:   The WBO International Lt. Heavyweight Title was defeated by Damien Hooper against Umar Salamov by Unanimous Decision.

TV:   USA ESPN, Australia Main Event, New Zealand Sky Arena

Light heavyweight Umar Salamov came in at number 8 in the WBO’s latest ratings after his stellar performance stopping Emil Markic (24-1) on the undercard of Joseph Parker’s heavyweight world title defense in New Zealand earlier this month.

At just 22 years old Salamov stands an imposing figure at 6’3 tall and has already achieved plenty in his 19 fights to date.

He has held 2 versions of world youth titles with the IBO and WBO, the WBO European and IBO World titles.

In his last outing, he secured the WBO International & IBF East/West European titles.

He is set to go again on July 2nd on the Jeff Hon vs Manny Pacquiao undercard where he is scheduled to face former Aussie Olympian Damian ‘Super’ Hooper.

Trainer Kevin Barry said: ‘I am hearing rumors Hooper is treating this fight as his own personal version of a world title fight as he knows doors will fly open for him if he can get a win over Umar.

“So we are training for a hard-long fight against a willing opponent who has excellent skills.

“We didn’t have to call Hooper out – he actually contacted our matchmaker Stuart Duncan wanting the fight.”

Umar’s manager Kazbek Aslambekov said it would be foolish and disrespectful to look beyond Hooper at this stage other than confirming it is the team’s intention to have him fight at least two or three more times in 2017.

www.worldboxingnews.net/2017/05/31/news/umar-salamov-to-fight-damien-hooper-on-pacquiao-undercard

  Parker’s stablemate Umar Salamov, right, was too strong for Emil Markic.  /  Photo Credit:  LAWRENCE SMITH/FAIRFAX NZ –

Joseph Parker’s stablemate Umar Salamov produced an impressive fourth round TKO to book himself a likely spot on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn’s title fight in Brisbane.

Russia’s 1.93m Salamov was in total control from the outset against Bosnia’s Emil Markic, handing him just his second defeat of a 25 fight career.

Salamov improved to 19-0 – and claimed the vacant WBO international light heavyweight title previously held by American champion Andre Ward, along with the and vacant IBF east/west Europe titles in his first fight in New Zealand.

The 22-year-old showcased variety – working the body, changing angles – as well as landing fast combinations and a deadly overhand right. He handed Markic a standing count in the fourth round, and then finished him off with 45 seconds left in the round.

Salamov is now expected to get a spot on the Pacquiao-Horn undercard on July 2.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/92296663/joseph-parker-undercard–fight-by-fight

Date:  Saturday, May 6, 2017

WBO International Lt. Heavyweight Title Bout

Location: Vodafone Events Centre,  Manukau City, New Zealand

Promoter:    Duco Events / David Higgins and Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   Danny Leigh

Referee:  Danrex Tapdasan

Judges:  Ian Scott, Darcy Williams, Arnaru Harriman

Results:    The Vacant WBO International Lt. Heavyweight Title was won by Umar Salamov against Emil Markic by KO’ed on 4th. round.

TV:  United Kingdom SKY, New Zealand Sky Arena, Australia FOX

The WBO represented by Mikhail Zavialov (president of National Professional Boxing League of Ukraine) together with WBO European light-heavyweight Champion Umar Salamov and former WBO Inter-Continental middleweight Champion Max “Tiger” Bursak donated boxing equipment to the kids from two boxing schools in Kiev (Ukraine). In spite of hard times which Ukraine goes through now, schools continue to develop and popularize boxing among young generation, rising new champions to represent Ukraine on the world boxing rings.