LAS VEGAS (August 11, 2009) – If unbeaten light heavyweight Beibut Shumenov (8-0, 6 KOs) defeats World Boxing Association light heavyweight champion Gabriel “Chico Guapo” Campillo in Saturday night’s main event, the Kazak star will become the light heavyweight champion with the fewest pro fights in history. The Aug. 15th show will be presented by KZ Event Productions, owned and operated by the Shumenov brothers, Beibut and Chingis, in association with Sampson Boxing, LLC, at the Sport Complex “Daulet” National Tennis Center in Astana, Kazakhstan. The show is being taped live and will air in countries, dates, and times to be determined..
Spanish southpaw boxer Campillo (18-2, 6 KOs), who won the WBA title in June as a decisive underdog, taking the WBA crown from Argentinean favorite and defending title-holder, Hugo Hernan Garay (32-3), will make his first title defense against 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian Shumenov (8-0, 6 KOs), reigning International Boxing Association title-holder.
The 25-year-old Shumenov, now living in Las Vegas, returns home on a mission to become the fourth major world boxing champion from Kazakhstan, joining former IBF cruiserweight Vassiliy Jirov, WBC heavyweight Oleg Maskaev and WBO super featherweight Anatoly Alexandrov.
Shumenov, rated No. 9 by the WBA, will have eight fewer fights then the present record-holder, Michael Spinks, who became WBA light heavyweight champion in his 17th pro fight, winning a 15-round decision against Eddie Mustafa Muhammad in 1981.
Two other Team KZ members, 4-time Uzbekistan National amateur champion Gayrat Ahmedov and Uzbekistan light middleweight Ravshan Hudayaynazarov, will be showcased on Saturday evening’s card.
Ahmedov (11-0-1, 7 KOs) fights former Eastern & Central African titlist Douglas “Daggy” Otieno (19-1, 9 KOs) in the 12-round co-feature for the vacant WBC ABCO and PABA light heavyweight titles.
The 2007 World Military Games winner Hudayaynazarov (8-0, 5 KOs) takes on ex-Kenyan title-holder Joseph Joseph “Mish” Miyumo (30-7-5, 17 KOs) in a 6-round bout.
WBO light welterweight champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley (34-11, 20 KOs) continues his comeback in an 8-round bout versus “Jessie” James Kimori (11-1, 7 KOs). Brooklyn cruiserweight James Bostic (16-3, 8 KOs) faces an opponent to be determined in a 6-rounder.
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in 4-round bouts are pro debuting Kazak heavyweight Doszhan Ospanov versus Emil Abishkaev, and super featherweight Abzal Adambaev in his pro debut against TBA.
Universum Box-Promotion wins a court case against Campillo!
Is Jürgen Brähmer now fighting for the WBA world title instead of Campillo vs. Shumenov?
On the occasion of to the world title defence of Universum fighter Hugo Hernan Garay (Argentina) on June 20th 2009 in Santa Fe (Argentina) against Gabriel Campillo Pessy (Spain), Universum had granted the exclusive option to host the fights of the Spanish challenger in case he wins. Campillo won this title bout and was crowned the new WBA light heavyweight world champion.
Campillo had recently announced that he would defend his WBA title on August 15 in Kazakhstan against Beibut Shumenov but this was a violation of the exclusive option of Universum in hosting the fights. A claim of Universum was confirmed by a Spanish civil court that prohibits Campillo to do so.
With this court order a new alternative has been presented for Universum boxer Jürgen Brähmer in order to go after his big dream and become world champion. He could fight for the full WBA title on August 22 against Campillo as he currently is #1 WBA rated contender. A possible alternative has been accepted by the WBO that Brähmer could fight on the same day for the WBO Interims world championship against stable mate Aleksy Kuziemski. A decision about this situation will happen within the next days after a final check.