Lebedev vs. Gassiev: Get ready for an explosion in Moscow!

Lebedev vs. Gassiev: Get ready for an explosion in Moscow!

Forget the cold war, this one will be red-hot! This Saturday in Moscow, Russia, we just might have The Fight of The Year, as cruiserweights Denis Lebedev (never in a bad fight) and Murat Gassiev (brutal KO artist) meet in a fight that has attracted plenty of attention amongst hardcore fight fans. These same fans, and a whole lot of boxing experts, are split as to who wins.

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Lebedev vs Gassiev: Shumenov wants Lebedev fight

Lebedev vs Gassiev: Shumenov wants Lebedev fight

Team Shumenov believes it is worth reviewing recent history en light of the recent announcement that World Boxing Association 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 International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion Victor Emilio Ramirez on May 21, 2016 was that Lebedev had to fight WBA cruiserweight world champion Beibut Shumenov within 120 days.

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Ranking today’s 10 best cruiserweights

Ranking today’s 10 best cruiserweights

There was a time, as most fight fans probably remember, when the cruiserweight division – or junior heavyweight as the weight class was also known in its early days – was nothing much of interest to the average boxing fan. And to fighters themselves, the division was nothing more than a stopgap on the way to the glamour and big paydays of the heavyweight division. Not so today.

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Denis Lebedev destroys Victor Emilio Ramirez

Denis Lebedev destroys Victor Emilio Ramirez

IBF cruiserweight title holder Victor Emilio Ramirez (22-3-1, 17 KOs) was no match for WBA cruiserweight world champion Denis Lebedev (29-1, 22 KOs) on Saturday night in folding in just two rounds in their long awaited unification fight in the main event at the Khodnyka Ice Palace, in Moscow, Russia.

Lebedev flattened the 32-year-old Ramirez in the 2nd round. Lebedev then finished Ramirez off with a flurry of shots that had the Argentinian turning his back to the Russian fighter at one point before it was halted. The fight was stopped at 1:57 of the round by referee Steve Smoger. Ramirez is a good fighter. He’s just not a world champion level fighter, and that was shown clearly tonight by Lebedev.

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The Cruiserweight Division: No Longer a Pit Stop?

The Cruiserweight Division: No Longer a Pit Stop?

On December 8, 1979, the WBC held a title bout between Marvin Camel and Mate Parlov to anoint a champion in a new division called, “Cruiserweight.” Created to narrow the gap between light heavy weights and heavyweights, thedivision began in less – then – inaugural fashion when the two fighters fought to a draw. Though Camel would go on to win a rematch and later, also become the first IBF cruiserweight champion, what seemed like a logical idea never caught on with the public who were already turned off by emerging sanctioning bodies. Additional weight classes only added to the confusion (little did we know what we were in for with all of this idiotic “regular” and super” champion nonsense).

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Lebedev vs Ramirez cruiserweight unification in the works for April 30th

Lebedev vs Ramirez cruiserweight unification in the works for April 30th

According to Dan Rafael, a cruiserweight unification clash that will contest the WBA and IBF titles could be heading to Russia – or maybe the U.S – on April 30th. Promoter Andrey Ryabinsky says Dennis Lebedev and Victor Emelio Ramirez have a deal in place to fight at the end of April.

Ryabinsky wants to stage the fight in America, yet he does not thus far have a TV deal to show the fight in the U.S. If he cannot negotiate a TV deal, ESPN.com reports, the fight will go ahead in Russia; either Moscow or Sochi. Either way, Lebedev-Ramirez is a good fight.

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