IBA Champions’ Night is ready to commence on 16 February with six tremendous fights in the Tennis Palace and Water Sports Complex in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Two title and two eliminator fights are scheduled to take place, and on the eve of the action all the boxers took part in the weigh-in ceremony.

Under the tutelage of legendary boxer Roy Jones Jr, who performed his most well-known song “Can’t be touched” to open the ceremony, the participants stepped on the scales and faced each other for an intense stare down.

An official contender for the IBA Pro World Champion title, Russian boxer Vsevolod Shumkov arrived in Dushanbe to stir things up with his rivals Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov from Uzbekistan and Luis Rodrigues Ocaña from Mexico.

‘Try not to get too tired in this fight, because soon you will have to get into the ring with me. Well, good luck. I look forward to looking one of you in the eye after the fight,’ Shumkov claimed.

Mirzakhalilov and Ocaña are set to determine the strongest in 57 kg eliminator to face Shumkov in their title fight.

Two World champions, principal rivals in the ring Sharabutdin Ataev from Russia and Loren Alfonso representing Azerbaijan are set to meet again with the IBA Pro World Champion title at stake.

Alfonso was passionate, saying ‘I am untouchable, you have seen it, and you will see it in the ring again. I learned my lesson from the past. We are two best boxers in cruiserweight, but there couldn’t be two champions in one ring, and only one of us will be the crowned tomorrow. I worked hard for it and this title should go home tomorrow to Azerbaijan.’

Ataev showed his readiness to prove everything in the ring. “We are the best in this weight class, and we have been given this fight to find out who is stronger. I will give it all in the ring, and I will do everything I can to come out the winner. I need to listen to my coaches and avoid what happened in our first fight. My approach needs to be cold and calculated,’ he claimed.

After the face off, Alfonso took the purse suitcase with him to demonstrate to whom it belongs, according to him. Half a million US dollars is the prize fund for the title fight with the winner getting $300,000 USD.

Tajik boxer Bakhodur Usmonov who is challenging Javid Chalabiyev from Azerbaijan invited everyone to witness his performance on home soil and promised that he’ll keep the title of IBA Pro Asian Champion in Tajikistan.

The IBF Eliminator World title in 58.9kg weight category will be at stake for local favorite Shavkat Rakhimov and Eduardo Nuñez from Mexico, after the Tajik lost his title in the previous bout. Rakhimov was confident that he can take all 12 rounds no matter what and demonstrated his intentions in front of the applauding home crowd.

Two undercard pairs are set to fight in 6-round rating bouts. Akmal Ubaydov from Tajikistan faces Kazakh Asylzhan Serikbay in 92kg, and another local boxer Shamsher Saidov challenges Mirzomakhmat Mirzabekov from Uzbekistan.

The live stream is available at night.iba.sport, last-minute tickets purchase is available here. 

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