Tag Archives: Yunier Dorticos

Cruiserweight World Champion Beibut Shumenov & Unbeaten Yunier Dorticos Face Off; Plus! Unbeaten Interim Featherweight Champion Carlos Zambrano Battles Once Beaten Contender Claudio Marrero

 
 Saturday, April 29 in a Special Saturday Night Edition of
Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes
Live from Las Vegas
 
LAS VEGAS (April 7, 2017) – Cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov (17-2, 11 KOs) will meet interim cruiserweight champion Yunier Dorticos (21-0, 20 KOs) in the main event and WBA Interim Featherweight Champion Carlos Zambrano (26-0, 11 KOs) defends his title against once-beaten contender Claudio Marrero (21-1, 15 KOs) in a special Saturday night edition of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 and FOX Deportes, April 29 from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.
Televised coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT as Shumenov and Dorticos will meet to unify their WBA titles in a long-awaited showdown between the former light heavyweight champion, Shumenov, and the unbeaten knockout artist, Dorticos.
“I’ve been in the gym working hard since my last fight,” said Shumenov. “I have been ready this entire time to defend my belt against anyone who is willing to step up. Denis Lebedev wanted to fight anyone but me and Dorticos disappeared after I signed the bout agreement to fight him February 11th in Miami. I am glad that, after many fight date changes, the fight is finally here on April 29. “
“I have been waiting a long time to reach this level and I’m very excited for this opportunity,” said Dorticos. “I want to thank my team at Caribe Promotions and Warriors Boxing for making this happen. I can’t wait for the whole world to see me in action. I’ve had a great training camp and my whole team has been working very hard. Shumenov is a great champion and I thank him for stepping in the ring with me. I can’t wait for that bell to ring so I can start fighting.”
“Training to defend my title has been intense,” said Zambrano. “We have a great team who put together a plan for me and I am giving everything I have to them. I have to get in the ring and show what I am capable of. There is only one result of this fight, I am going to win. Whether it’s by knockout or points, I will leave the ring a champion.”
“I think the fans have been wanting to see this fight for a while, and I am prepared to give the fans an exciting fight,” said Marrero. “I am focused and ready. I’ve been training hard with my team and I only see this fight going one way, and that’s me leaving with the win.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $75, $50 and $25, and are on sale Monday, April 10 at 12 p.m. PT. Tickets are available online at www.samstownlv.com/entertain.
“We can’t wait to bring another thrilling night of fights to the great fans in Las Vegas at Sam’s Town Live,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “This main event is going to be a scintillating cruiserweight title fight on FS1 and FOX Deportes and we are also looking forward to Carlos Zambrano making his Mayweather Promotions debut against a very tough challenger in Claudio Marrero. There will be an action packed undercard featuring a slew of Mayweather Promotions fighters, so you will want to get there early to enjoy the whole show!”
“This is a true boxing fans show,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Beibut Shumenov and Yunier Dorticos are two of the best cruiserweights in the sport and they’re stepping into the ring to prove it. Carlos Zambrano and Claudio Marrero have been circling each other for a while now, which has heightened the anticipation of their finally meeting in the ring. The intensity in both matches means excitement for the fans.”
A native of Shymkent, Kazakhstan and fighting out of Las Vegas, Shumenov looks to build on a strong start to his campaign at cruiserweight after picking up a title against B.J. Flores in July 2015 and defending the belt with a TKO victory over Junior Wright last year. The 2004 Olympian for Kazakhstan won a world title at light heavyweight by defeating Gabriel Campillo in Las Vegas in 2010.
Fighting out of Miami by way of Havana, Cuba, Dorticos is unbeaten since turning pro in 2009 after a decorated amateur career. Dorticos won a regional cruiserweight title over previously unbeaten Hamilton Ventura in 2014 and continued his ascent to a world title with victories over Edison Miranda, Galen Brown and Fulgencio Zuniga. He won his interim title with a stoppage victory over Youri Kalenga in one of the most exciting fights of 2016.
An unbeaten fighter from Lima, Peru, Zambrano turned pro in 2008 and fought nine of his first 12 bouts in the U.S. He won a South American regional title in 2012 and began moving up the featherweight rankings with a knockout victory over Devis Perez in 2014. He picked up his interim title with a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Ramirez in 2015 and defended the belt successfully against Jose Sanmartin later that year.
A former title challenger who lost a narrow decision to Jesus Cuellar in 2013, Marrero has won seven-straight bouts since then. Most recently, the 28-year-old knocked down Luis Hinojosa four times before stopping him in the fourth round in August 2016. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Marrero was an accomplished amateur who will be fighting in Las Vegas for the second time in his pro career.
#          #          #
Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, all programs are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepagewww.foxdeportes.com.andwww.TGBPromotions.com Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, @FS1, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportesand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions. PBC on FS1 & FOX Deportes is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

‘Premier Boxing Champions’ Series Springs Forward With Loaded Slate of Telecasts

 
Schedule Includes Five Shows In April
Showcasing Champions, Contenders &
Top Prospects in Competitive Matches
LAS VEGAS (April 5, 2017) – The Premier Boxing Champions series rolled into April with a hotly contested match between Edner Cherry and Omar Douglas on FS1 “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS” last night and will continue with an outstanding slate of shows, featuring matches in some of the deepest divisions in boxing.
“Premier Boxing Champions will present a busy schedule in April, involving prospects, rising stars and established champions,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Premier Boxing Champions. “It’s the kind of schedule that contains matches for every type of boxing fan.”
The impressive run started with Cherry besting Douglas in a close and competitive super featherweight clash from Sands Bethlehem Events Center in Bethlehem, Pa., on “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS “on FS1 and FOX Deportes last night.
Next up, former title challenger Josesito Lopez will meet Mexico’s Saul Corral in the main event on FS1 and FOX Deportes from the Novo at L.A. Live in Los Angeles at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 9. Unbeaten lightweight contender Alejandro Luna will battle former title contender Andrey Klimov in a 10-round bout in the co-feature. Also, 2016 U.S. Olympian Karlos Balderas will make his pro debut in a six round super featherweight match.
A welterweight world title eliminator between former champions Andre Berto and Shawn Porter will highlight an action-packed PBC card on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 22. Undefeated 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo will defend his title against top contender Charles Hatley in the co-feature. Also in action is heavyweight title contender Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz taking on rugged veteran Derric Rossy.
Exciting contenders Oscar Molina and Levan Ghvamichava will square-off in the main event, while rising star Brandon Figueroa also enters the ring, in an action-packed “TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS” show on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on April 25.
Beibut Shumenov defends his cruiserweight title against Yunier Dorticos while Carlos Zambrano will battle Claudio Marrero in a featherweight showdown on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 29.
The PBC schedule for May promises to be just as jam-packed with exciting matches. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.
About Premier Boxing Champions
Premier Boxing Champions is a live boxing series created for TV and cable by Haymon Sports, LLC. The series features the greatest array of international boxing talent in all weight divisions, with fighters representing over 10 countries including the United States and Mexico. From former Olympians to Champions of all nationalities, the series can be seen on over 10 networks in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the U.K.

Caribe Promotions and Warriors Boxing Announce Co-Promotional Agreement with WBA Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Yunier Dorticos

Caribe Promotions and Warriors Boxing Announce Co-Promotional Agreement with WBA Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Yunier Dorticos
Warriors Boxing and Caribe Promotions proudly announce they have teamed up to sign Miami via Cuba’s interim WBA World Cruiserweight Champion, Cuba’s Yunier Dorticos, to a co-promotional agreement.
 
The power-punching Dorticos (21-0, 20 KOs), originally from Cienfuego, Cuba, won his interim championship with a “Fight of the Year” candidate TKO 20 over France’s tough Youri Kayembre Kalenga in May of last year.
 
In his seven-year career, the 30-year-old slugger has also held the WBC Latino, WBA Fedelatin and USBA Cruiserweight Championships. Dorticos was also a heavily decorated amateur before defecting to the United States and had 257 bouts. He stands 6′ 3″ with a massive 80″ reach.
 
“I have worked hard in my career and Caribe Promotions has helped get me to where I am now. I am a world-class fighter, and that comes with making choices to benefit my career and my team,” said Dorticos. “I am excited to join Warriors Boxing as my co-promoter along with my Caribe Promotions, because it gives me to opportunity to be under the guidance of a world-class championship team and take my career to new heights. Together with Caribe Promotions and Warriors Boxing, I will become the best 200-lb undisputed Cruiserweight Champion in the World.
 
Dorticos is slated to further legitimize his title by facing the WBA’s “Regular” World Cruiserweight Champion Beibut Shumenov in his next fight. “My exiting fighting style and punching power will once again show all my fans and the world why I’m called ‘The KO Doctor’ and my next patient that I will prescribe my medication to is Beibut Shumenov!”
 
“We are very happy to be working with such a top talent like Yunier Dorticos, whom I consider to be the closest thing to the great Joe Louis in boxing today,” said Luis DeCubas, Chief Operating Officer of Warriors Boxing. “I’d like to thank our partner Boris Arencibia for trusting Warriors Boxing to help guide his career. Dorticos will beat Shumenov. He’s another terrific Cuban fighter with a very bright future.”
 
“Caribe Promotions is proud to sign Yunier Dorticos to a co-promotional partnership with Warriors Boxing,” said Boris Arencibia, President of Caribe Promotions. “With the knowledge, experience and boxing network of Luis DeCubas and Warriors Boxing, we will be able to put our champion Dorticos on top of the world. ‘The KO Doctor’ is coming to clean up the cruiserweight division and will be recognized has one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world very soon!”
 
CONTACTS:
Andre Courtemanche
Big Media Buzz
(954) 302-2462
bigmediabuzz@msn.com

Former Interim Cruiserweight World Champion Youri Kalenga added to “Battle of Casablanca” card

 
World amateur champion Mohammad Rabii
To make pro debut at home in main event 
Feb. 18 in Casablanca, Morocco
CASABLANCA, Morocco (February 2, 2017) – Former Interim cruiserweight world champion Youri “El Toro” Kalenga will provide chief support February 18 for pro-debuting Moroccan amateur boxing sensation Mohammad Rabii on the “Battle of Casablanca” card, presented by Nowhere2Hyde, at Complexe de Sportif Mohammed V Arena in Casablanca, Morocco.
Kalenga (22-3, 15 KOs), fighting out of France by way of The Congo, is currently rated No. 12 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 16 by the World Boxing Council (WBC).  The knockout artist takes on Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson (17-11-1, 9 KOs), of Philadelphia, who is a former United States Boxing Association (USBA) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) champion.
In 2014, Kalenga captured the WBA Interim title with a 12-round split decision over 32-1 Mateusz Masternak in Monaco, followed with a successful title defense in Canada against 12-0 Denton Daley by way of a 12th round technical knockout.
Kalenga has never been in a dull fight.  Two of his three career losses have been to current WBA Super cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (26-2), who Kalenga dropped in the fourth round, by way of a 12-round unanimous decision in Russia, and last June he was stopped for the first time in his seven-year pro career by 20-0 Yunier Dorticos in Paris for the Interim WBA strap.
The 23-year-old Rabii defeated 2016 Olympic gold medalist Daniyar Yeleussinov in the welterweight division championship finale of the 2015 AIBA World Amateur Championships to capture a gold for his native Morocco.  Rabii won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, dropping a highly-disputed decision (0-3) in the semifinals to Uzebek boxer Shakhram Giyasov, the eventual silver medalist.
 
The ultra-charismatic Rabii has reached “rock star” status in Morocco, testament by an average of 6-million Moroccans viewing each of Rabbi’s Olympic matches on Arryadia Television.  “We are very excited to work with our television partners, Arryadia, on our February 18th show as the first of five shows in 2017 featuring Mohammed Rabii,” promoter Gary Hyde said.  “Rabii has the entire nation of Morocco behind him and he will be challenging for top welterweight honors in no time at all.”
Rabii will take on veteran Hungarian boxer Adam “Bad Boy” Mate (24-10, 17 KOs) in the six-round main event.
Also in action on “Battle of Casablanca” will be former World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world featherweight champion, Simpiwe Vetyeka (29-3, 17 KOs), who is world ranked No. 4 by the WBA, No. 6 by The Ring magazine, and No. 7 by the WBC.  The gifted South African faces undefeated Hungarian prospect David Nerna (8-0, 8 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Netherlands light middleweight Gevorg Khatchikian (24-2, 12 KOs) will also be in action against Ugandan Med “Kabona” Sebyala (16-8-1. 13 KOs) in another 10-rounder.  Khatchikian, who will be fighting as a 154-pounder for the first time as a professional, has only lost twice as a pro, both to present super middleweight world champions, James Degale (IBF) and Gilberto Ramirez (WBO).
Hyde manages Rabii, Kalanga and Vetyeka.
Tickets are now on sale for the Feb. 18 show in Casablanca.
INFORMATION:
Twitter:  @nowhere2hyde,

Caribe Promotions loses rights to Shumenov-Dorticos WBA cruiserweight title fight; TGB Promotions awarded rights

LAS VEGAS (January 31, 2017) – The World Boxing Association (WBA) has notified WBA cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov and WBA Interim cruiserweight title-holder Yunier Dorticos, as well as their representatives, that Caribe Promotions has lost its rights to promote the WBA mandated Shumenov vs. Dorticos title fight.
Dorticos’ promoter, Caribe Promotions, originally won the Shumenov vs. Dorticos title fight rights last November with a winning purse bid of $350,001, which required a fight date within 90 days.  Although rumored to be held in mid-February in either Miami or Las Vegas, Caribe’s ability and willingness to actually promote the fight came into question in January, 2017.  The WBA demanded that Caribe confirm its intentions and even granted Caribe additional time to respond, but Caribe failed to file confirmation of a fight date with the WBA. Because Caribe was unable to confirm its intentions, the WBA had little choice but to award rights to the second-highest purse bidder, Tom Brown’s TGB Promotions.
“I last fought May 21st and I have been in the gym since June because I was supposed to fight Lebedev in September,” said a terribly frustrated Shumenov. “But he backed out of the fight with me once again and I have been ready to fight since then.   I signed a bout agreement to fight Dorticos on February 11thin Miami, but Dorticos and his promoter disappeared after I signed. They’re full of it; all they do is talk.  I can’t wait to knock him out.  I am waiting on my manager to call me right now to tell me the new fight date with TGB.”
Caribe Promotions has been forced to also forfeit its $35,000 purse bid deposit with 10-percent off the top going to the WBA and remainder ($31,500) distributed to Shumenov and Dorticos, respectively, on a 75-25 percent basis due to its failure to promote the fight.
Shumenov (17-2, 11 KOs), fighting out of Las Vegas by way of Kazakhstan, fought last May 21, when he stopped 15-1-1 Junior Wright in the 10th round of their Las Vegas fight for the vacant WBA World cruiserweight title.  The WBA had ruled that the Shumenov-Wright winner would be the mandatory challenger for its “Super” champion, Lebedev, within 90 days, however, it later allowed unified cruiserweight titlist Lebedev (against Shumenov’s strong objections) to fight his International Boxing Federation (IBF) mandatory defense against challenger Murat Gassiev, effectively mandating an eliminator between Shumenov and Dorticos with that winner to fight the winner of Lebedev-Gassiev.  Only days prior to the Lebedev-Gassiev title fight, Lebedev was inexplicably allowed to fight Gassiev without defending his WBA title, as only his IBF belt was on the line.  Gassiev (24-0) defeated Lebedev (29-3) by way of a 12-round split decision in Moscow to become the IBF cruiserweight world champion and Lebedev remains the WBA Super cruiserweight world champion, at least for now.  The WBA is expected to rule on Shumenov’s objections to Lebedev’s fight against Gassiev, Lebedev’s status and whether Lebedev will remain champion having lost his last fight.
Dorticos has made false claims in the media that Shumenov, who had been waiting for the WBA to rule on his petitions to force Lebedev to fight him without further delay, had been avoiding him.  It is ironic now that Dorticos’ own promoter first sought to delay and has now defaulted on the long-awaited confrontation by failing to promote the Shumenov-Dorticos title fight within the WBA deadline.
A former WBA Super light heavyweight world champion, the 33-year-old Shumenov is the first two-division world champion from a Soviet-bloc country.
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

Team Shumenov responds to Lebedev vs. Gassiev world title fight announcement

LAS VEGAS (August 17,, 2016) – Team Shumenov believes it is worth reviewing recent history enlight of the recent announcement that WBA Super/IBF cruiserweight world champion Denis Lebedev will defend against Murat Gassiev in late November or early December in Russia:  A condition for allowing  Lebedev to fight IBF cruiserweight champion Victor Emilio Ramirez on May 21, 2016 was that Lebedev had to fight WBA cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov within 120 days.  (Lebedev hasn’t made a mandatory defense since April 10, 2015.) Shumenov has done everything to make that fight, while Lebedev has done nothing but run from his mandatory title fight.  When it first became obvious in June that Lebedev was trying to avoid his mandated WBA title fight, Shumenov repeatedly requested that the WBA order a purse bid.
Lebedev ignored the WBA and then recently sought, after the WBA deadline had passed, a special permit allowing him to fight Gassiev, which Shumenov officially objected to within 48 hours. WBA Interim cruiserweight world champion Yunier Dorticos has also objected.   At this present time, though, Team Shumenov is still waiting to hear the WBA’s ruling in terms of stripping Lebedev if he decides to fight Gassiev instead of Shumenov.
It really is very simple.  Shumenov wants to fight Lebedev, who is doing everything he can to avoid it.  If Lebedev doesn’t care to meet his obligations and conditions of his prior special permit, he should relinquish his title.  Lebedev and his people need to rejoin the rest of us in the real world and stop claiming that Shumenov has not been pushing for this fight.
According to a recent report, Lebedev’s camp members erroneously reported that, “Shumenov is not exactly pushing the issue” (to fight Lebedev next).
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

Team Shumenov petitions WBA to declare purse bid for mandatory title fight vs. Lebedev or strip Lebedev of his world cruiserweight title belt

LAS VEGAS (July 22, 2016) – It has been more than a month since World Boxing Association (WBA) world cruiserweight champion Beibut Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs), based on the much publicized WBA Cruiserweight Tournament rules and regulations, petitioned the WBA to either declare a purse bid for a title fight between WBA Super cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev, or strip Lebedev of his title belt for being non-compliant.
Last July, Shumenov defeated B.J. Flores by way of a 12-round unanimous decision to become the WBA mandatory challenger for   Lebedev, who hasn’t fought a mandatory defense since April 10, 2015.
The WBA issued a resolution this past April that Lebedev, who defeated Victor Emelio Ramirez in May to also become International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion, must fight Shumenov within 120 days of the latter’s May 21, 2016 knockout victory over Junior Wright.
On record for making changes to insure only one world champion in each division, incredibly, the WBA presently has 38 different world title belt holders in only 17 different weight classes.  Only three WBA divisions have one world champion – super lightweight, lightweight and light flyweight – and eight have three world titlists, including its cruiserweight division, which presently has world champions in Lebedev, Shumenov and Interim champion Yunier Dorticos, who is the WBA second mandatory challenger.
In an apparent public relations move, the WBA has suddenly declared this month a rash of mandatory defenses, however, declaring and actually making these title fights are two different things, as Shumenov has unfortunately learned.  The WBA should have ordered a Lebedev vs. Shumenov purse bid on June 21, 2016, when the two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, but the WBA failed to do so. When Shumenov repeated his request for a purse bid in June, the WBA failed once again to act.
WBA Rule D: Purse Bids
1. Call For Purse Bid. Bout participants shall reach an agreement on holding the bout no later than ninety (90) days before the expiration of the mandatory period. To confirm an agreement has been reached, the WBA must receive acceptable bout contracts signed by the boxers certifying they have reached terms for the bout. If no agreement has been reached, the Championships Committee, with the approval of the President, can call for Purse bid. A boxer may also request a purse bid at any time. 
 
Lebedev’s promoter, Andrei Ryabinsky, has been quoted in stories about having a deal in place for his fighter to defend his IBF title first.  In effect, the WBA is allowing Lebedev to hold the WBA Super cruiserweight title belt hostage, leveraging it against his IBF crown.  Shumenov, who is a former WBA Super light heavyweight champion, has now proudly worn the WBA belt around his waist for a total of nearly five years.
“I was looking forward to fighting Lebedev and I don’t understand his unwillingness and refusal to step in the ring with me,” Shumenov said.
Team Shumenov is extremely disappointed in the WBA’s failure to act on making the fight with Lebedev that it mandated, in addition to being discouraged by the WBA’s failure, after several requests had been made, to either set a purse bid date or strip Lebedev of his world title belt.  Not knowing if or when the WBA is finally going to rule has left Shumenov unable to book any fights. The WBA’s failure to enforce its own purse bid rule, or strip Lebedev, has unfairly prevented  Shumenov from earning a living while at the peak of his pro boxing career.
Shumenov is the only native Kazakh to be a two-division world champion.  Now a resident of Las Vegas, he also represented his native Kazakhstan at the 2004 Olympics in Greece.
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

World champion Beibut Shumenov to defend title vs. Junior Wright this Saturday night in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (May 18, 2016) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim Cruiserweight World champion Beibut Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs) makes his first title defense this Saturday night (May 21) against WBA No. 11-rated Junior “Hurricane” Wright (15-1-1, 12 KOs) at The Chelsea inside of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
“I’m happy to get the opportunity to fight this Saturday night,” Shumenov said, “but I wish that I could fight more often.  I’ve been ready since January.  Every training session I gain new knowledge.  I am a completely different fighter than in my last fight.”
Shumenov’s last fight was back in July, in which he defeated B.J. Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs) by 12-round unanimous decision in Las Vegas to capture the vacant WBA Interim title, making the former WBA light heavyweight champion Shumenov the first professional boxer from Kazakhstan to be a two-division world champion.
By becoming the WBA Interim cruiserweight champion, Shumenov also became the No. 1 ranked mandatory challenger for WBA Super cruiserweight titlist Denis Lebedev (28-2, 21 KOs), who also fights this Saturday in Russia against International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Victor Emilio “El Tyson de Abasto” Ramirez (22-2-1, 17 KOs) in a unification match.
The WBA has already mandated that the Lebedev-Ramirez must fight Shumenovwithin 120 days. The WBA, however, has failed to explain why it also declared a WBA “regular” cruiserweight world title fight this Friday night in France between No. 2 Yunier Dorticos and No. 5 Youri Kalenga (since upgraded to No. 3), especially after announcing that it would work this year to have only one world champion in each weight class.
Shumenov, of course, is risking his mandatory position by fighting Wright, the former 5-time Chicago Golden Gloves champion.  “I need to stay active,” Shumenov explained why he’s taking such a risk.  “Every fight, I gain experience and it also helps me develop my fighting skills.”
The 12-round Shumenov vs. Wright title fight is on the non-televised portion of The Cosmopolitan show.
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page atwww.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

WBA Interim cruiserweight world champion & Mandatory challenger Beibut Shumenov protests Dorticos-Kalenga WBA “regular” world cruiserweight title fight

LAS VEGAS (April 29, 2016) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs), the only Kazakhstan-native to hold world titles in two different weight classes, is disputing the WBA’s sanctioning of the WBA “regular” cruiserweight world championship fight, May 20 in Paris, between two lower-ranked WBA fighters, No. 2 Yunier Dorticos and No. 5 Youri Kalenga (recently upgraded to No. 3).
Last July, Shumenov defeated B.J. Flores by way of a 12-round unanimous decision to become the mandatory challenger for WBA “regular” cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev, who was later elevated to “Super” champion.
Lebedev hasn’t fought a mandatory defense in one year, ironically, when he won a 12-round decision over Kalenga, who had earned his world title shot, like Shumenov, by becoming WBA Interim world champion.  The WBA granted Lebedev an extension in terms of his due mandatory defense because of the Russian’s unification fight May 21 in Moscow against International Boxing Federation (IBF) title-holder Victor Emelio Ramirez.
“I’m very disappointed the WBA is sanctioning Dorticos-Kalenga for its ‘regular’ cruiserweight title, when I am the No. 1 ranked and current WBA Interim champion,” Shumenov said.  “I repeatedly informed the WBA through emails, texts and verbally that I was ready to fight back in January. I preferred to fight Lebedev but I was willing to fight Dorticos or anybody else in the top 15.  For the past few months, I’ve been laboring over what I believe is a very bad decision, letting two lower-ranked fighters, the No. 2 and No. 3 guys, fight for the WBA ‘regular’ title.  I am shocked and bewildered and do not understand the WBA’s rationale to have either of these fighters declared the WBA ‘regular’ champion without first defeating either Lebedev or me, the Interim champion and No. 1 rank contender.
“I appealed the decision but, so far, the WBA has done little in response to my appeals other than delay and stall before finally ruling that I will fight the Lebedev-Ramirez winner months from now, yet, ignoring my appeal to stop the regular title status of Dorticos-Kalenga and still sanction a fight between them, its No. 2 and No. 3 rated fighters, for the WBA ‘regular’ title.  This is unfair to fans, who deserve to watch the best fighting the best, especially when a world championship is at stake!  We now have this odd situation where there will be three separate WBA cruiserweight fights in May, all for a different version of WBA world title   I just don’t feel anyone should get the WBA ‘regular’ title without first defeating a champion or at least the top-ranked fighter in the division.  The WBA knew I was and am ready to fight.  Its decision makes no sense and, in my opinion, diminishes the prestige and meaning of the title.  I have respect for Dorticos and Kalenga but I think the legitimacy of any world title resulting from a fight between the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked contenders, when the No 1 mandatory contender who already holds the WBA Interim champion is ready and available, to say the least, is highly questionable.
“The WBA told me and announced to the media that it was working to have only one world champion in each division.  While I’ve been sitting out the last four months waiting to fight, the WBA has decided to allow six different guys to fight for three WBA cruiserweight world titles, practically on the same day, instead of crowning only one WBA cruiserweight world champion.  I look forward to returning to the ring and my manager, Al Haymon, has advised me that I will fight in May and we will announce next week.   I want to thank everyone for their support and I apologize to my family, friends, fans and my country, Kazakhstan, for this chaos the WBA has caused that has damaged and delayed my professional boxing career.  I will move forward and continue to fight inside the ring, letting my attorneys and manager fight this unfair situation outside the ring.”
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

Beibut Shumenov targeting Lebedev-Ramirez cruiserweight Unification title fight winner

LAS VEGAS (March 22, 2016) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Interim Cruiserweight World champion Beibut Shumenov (16-2, 10 KOs) is targeting the May 21st unification title winner between WBA titlist Denis Lebedev(28-2, 21 KOs) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Victor Emilio “El Tyson de Abasto” Ramirez (22-2-1, 17 KOs).
When Shumenov defeated B.J. Flores(31-1-1, 20 KOs) last July in Las Vegas, the former WBA light heavyweight champion became WBA Interim champion as well as its No. 1 mandatory contender.
Lebedev, however, hasn’t fought a mandatory fight since last April 10 in which he won a 12-round decision over then Interim WBA champion Youri Kalenga.  Lebedev made a voluntary tittle offense last November, stopping Lateef Kayode in the eighth round.
Shumenov will be back in the ring next month (April), full details forthcoming, and then he will challenge the Lebedev-Ramirez winner within 90/120 days of their outcome.
“I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to fight the Lebedev-Ramirez winner because it’s always been my goal to unify the titles,” Shumenov explained.  “Lebedev has always been my target.  Ramirez is the other fighter I’ve really wanted to fight and my manager tried to make a fight between us, too.
“I’ve been in the gym since my last fight, training hard to perfect my skills. Now, I am a completely different fighter since I fought last July.  My team is extremely happy and confident that I can beat all of the other world cruiserweight champions.”
Last December, Shumenov was scheduled to defend his Interim WBA crown against two-time world cruiserweight champion Krzyesztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk (50-3-1, 36 KOs), but a serious medical issue concerning a family member forced Shumenov to withdraw from the aforementioned fight.
“The opportunity to fight the winner of Lebedev/Ramirez in a big unification fight just came about this year and I didn’t have that option back when I agreed to initially fight Wlodarczyk back in December and I was unable to foresee what would happen to my family personally,” 32-year-old Shumenov said.  “I have no problem fighting Wlodarczyk in the future, but only after I fight the Lebedev-Ramirez unification winner.  In addition, at any time, I have no problem fighting WBA No. 2-ranked Yunier Dorticos.
“Right now, I’m at my fighting prime yet still improving, training with my coach, Ismael Salas.  I want to show the world my skills before I get too old.  Literally, I’m ready to fighttomorrow and I’ve been ready for months.  I’ll be back in the ring next month and then I’ll get my shot at the Lebedev-Ramirez winner.”
Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.