According to recent media updates, Chinese boxer Zhang Zhaoxin (12-2-1, 7 KOs), currently the WBA’s top-ranked super-cruiserweight contender, will step into the ring again on July 13th Beijing Time. He will face Russian Murtazaliev Gasimagomedov (3-0, 2 KOs), a silver medalist in the 91kg category at the 2021 Olympics. The two will battle for the vacant WBA super-cruiserweight championship belt in Serpukhov, Russia.
The super-cruiserweight division is a relatively new category introduced by the WBA, corresponding to the WBC’s Bridger weight class, designed for boxers weighing between 200 and 224 pounds. However, most fighters prefer to compete in the heavyweight division, leading to less competition in the super-cruiserweight category, making it somewhat easier to secure a title.
The 28-year-old Zhang Zhaoxin has a professional record of 12 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, with 7 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Standing at 1.88 meters tall with an arm reach of 1.89 meters, he previously held the WBC Asia cruiserweight title. In July 2021, Zhang challenged then-WBA regular cruiserweight champion Radoslav Mirov (32-3, 26 KOs) but was stopped in the eighth round.
In February this year, Zhang faced Romanov (19-1, 12 KOs), a Russian who had previously knocked out Deontay Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs) in the amateurs. Despite being knocked down in the first round, Zhang managed to turn the tide and score a stunning second-round KO against Romanov, earning him the status of the WBA’s top-ranked super-cruiserweight challenger.
Murtazaliev Gasimagomedov, 27, has an unblemished professional record of 3 wins, with 2 knockouts. At 1.94 meters tall, he not only won Olympic silver but also claimed the World Boxing Championship titles in 2019 and 2023, demonstrating significant strength.
In the preceding co-feature bout, Albert Batyrgaziev (10-0, 7 KOs), a 25-year-old Russian newcomer and gold medalist in the 56kg category at the 2021 Olympics, will square off against Irishman Jono Carroll (24-2-1, 7 KOs) for the vacant interim WBA super featherweight title.