Madrimov to fight for WBA world title!
Earlier today the WBA voted on a solution to the on going situation with their title at 154lbs. In the end the vote saw them deciding to make former Undisputed champion Jermell Charlo their champion in recess, a decision that made a lot of sense given it's almost 2 years since Charlo last fought in the division and he hasn't yet made it clear that he intends to return to 154lbs going forward. In fact given his last bout was at Super Middleweight, it would actually be quite a surprise to see him dropping back down to 154lbs.
News: WBA voting is done & Jermell Charlo has been relieved of 154 belt & made "champion in recess." Madrimov-Kurbanov on #JoshuaNgannou PPV is for vacant title. Winner must face Charlo when he returns if he wants fight. Charlo, once 4-belt undisputed, has no more alphabet belts.
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) March 1, 2024
To fill the vacancy left by this decision the WBA have confirmed, as reported by Dan Rafael, that the upcoming bout, scheduled for March 8th, between the unbeaten pairing of Israil Madrimov (9-0-1, 6) and Magomed Kurbanov (25-0, 13) will be for the title.
For both men this will be their first shot at the title, and although both are unbeaten it's fair to say there is a lot of difference between the two men. Madrimov, a former amateur standout from Uzbekistan, has long been groomed as a top fighter in the making, and is blessed with natural talent, explosive power, good movement and a real ability to switch hit. Kurbanov on the other hand is a bit more of a hard worker in the ring, without the natural flair of Madrimov, and a lot more reliant on will power, rather than natural gifts. It will, in some ways, be a Skill Vs Will bout, that both men will feel they can't afford to lose. In fact given the picture at the top of the division the winner will almost certainly find themselves in some very intriguing match ups as the champion, whilst the loser will have to get in the queue of one of the most congested divisions in the sport.
The bout, which will take place on the same card as Anthony Joshua Vs Francis Ngannou, is one that may not get the headlines that the main event will, but could well prove to be one of the real standout contests on a genuinely stacked card of international talent, which takes place in Saudi Arabia.
For both men this will be their first shot at the title, and although both are unbeaten it's fair to say there is a lot of difference between the two men. Madrimov, a former amateur standout from Uzbekistan, has long been groomed as a top fighter in the making, and is blessed with natural talent, explosive power, good movement and a real ability to switch hit. Kurbanov on the other hand is a bit more of a hard worker in the ring, without the natural flair of Madrimov, and a lot more reliant on will power, rather than natural gifts. It will, in some ways, be a Skill Vs Will bout, that both men will feel they can't afford to lose. In fact given the picture at the top of the division the winner will almost certainly find themselves in some very intriguing match ups as the champion, whilst the loser will have to get in the queue of one of the most congested divisions in the sport.
The bout, which will take place on the same card as Anthony Joshua Vs Francis Ngannou, is one that may not get the headlines that the main event will, but could well prove to be one of the real standout contests on a genuinely stacked card of international talent, which takes place in Saudi Arabia.