Arslanbek Makhmudov to make his US debut against Raphael Akpejiori on July 1 in Toledo, Ohio

The heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov will take the collar again by playing his first professional fight in the United States in his career, on July 1 in Toledo, Ohio, against the Nigerian Raphaël Akpejiori.

NABA and NABF champion in his category, the protege of Eye of the Tiger Management (EOTTM) will play in the semi-finals of a gala broadcast on the American network ESPN + and starring Jared Anderson and Zhan Kossobutskiy. In this 10-round duel, Makhmudov (16-0-0, 15 K.-O.) will have a lot to do against a rival who is also undefeated. However, the opportunity to leave a good first impression in the country of Uncle Sam is significant and he does not want to miss it.

“Fighting for the first time in the United States, the Mecca of boxing, represents a major opportunity for me, not only because it will give me the opportunity to showcase my talent on the world stage, but also because it brings me closer more of my dream of becoming world champion. I dedicated my life to boxing, I worked hard and made all the sacrifices to reach this crucial moment in my career. I’m ready. I’m ready to face the best, and give a memorable show to the amateurs boxing around the world,” he said in a statement.

For his part, at 6 ft 8 in and 260 lbs, Akpejiori (15-0-0, 14 KOs) has nothing to envy to the relatively similar physique of his opponent. Of all his opponents, four were still standing after the initial assault and only veteran Terrell Jamal Woods held on for the entire duel.

“I prepared myself physically and mentally, and I can’t wait for the bell to ring to show the whole world what Raphaël Akpejiori is made of. I don’t expect this fight to be easy, but I’ve been preparing for this for a long time. I’m used to working hard. I am used to adversity, obstacles and pain, he said. It’s just a new chapter, and I’m more than ready. It’s an opportunity to represent the African continent on a global scale, and I don’t intend to disappoint.”

Makhmudov defeated Michael Wallisch in round 1 in his last outing in December. He is ranked fifth in the world in the WBC.

Other actors of the evening

In addition, DeAndre Ware (15-4-2, 9 KOs) will make his first fight since his defeat against Christian Mbilli on the second round in September 2022.

Olympic boxer Delante Johnson (8-0-0, 5 KOs), Dante Benjamin (6-0-0, 4 KOs), Husam Al Mashhadi (6-0-0, 5 KOs). -O.) as well as Jahi Tucker (10-0-0, 5 K.-O.) will also take part in the evening.