UZBEKISTAN’S unified WBA and IBF super-bantamweight titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 8-0 (6), is set to perform in his home country for the first time as a professional this Saturday (April 3). Opposing the unbeaten 26-year-old at the Humo Arena in Tashkent will be Japan’s former IBF super-bantam boss Ryosuke Iwasa, 27-3 (17).
A 2015 World silver medal-winner and 2016 Olympic bronze medallist, Akhmadaliev took the WBA and IBF titles from Daniel Roman in a top-quality contest in January last year.
A split decision triumph saw the Indio, California-based fighter become a unified world champion in only his eighth pro outing.
Iwasa is coming off an 11th-round stoppage of ex-WBO bantamweight belt-holder Marlon Tapales in December 2019. With the win, the 31-year-old secured the IBF Interim strap at 122lbs, which put him in a position to challenge his fellow southpaw this weekend.
DAZN televise the show from Uzbekistan. Sign up here
Boasting far greater pro experience than his Uzbek rival, Kashiwa’s Iwasa is an all-action combatant who leaves everything in the ring. However, considering that he has been stopped twice before, he will be up against it when taking on Akhmadaliev, who is a hard and educated puncher.
Expect an entertaining tussle, with both men firing off fierce combinations, before the accurate Akhmadaliev’s heavy hands produce an inside-the-distance victory and a successful first title defence.
Also appearing on this Matchroom promotion, televised live on DAZN, are eight of Akhmadaliev’s countrymen – all previously high-class amateurs. Shakhram Giyasov and Israil Madrimov are the two best-known of the bunch at the moment, but Hasanboy Dusmatov, Bakhodir Jalolov, Elnur Abduraimov, Sanjar Tursunov, Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov and Ikboljon Kholdarov are certainly names to watch out for.
