By James Slater: According to a news article that went out on RIA Novosti in Russia, 40-year-old Richard Hall could be one win away from facing World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight titlist Denis Lebedev in April. Hall will face Grigory Drozd in Moscow on Feb. 8th, and Lebedev’s promoter, Vladimir Hryunov says that Hall sees that fight as “a stepping-stone to a shot at Lebedev.”
“Hall is very ambitious by nature and regards the upcoming fight with Drozd as a modest obstacle on the way to a match with Lebedev,” Hryunov said.
Hall, a former interim WBA light-heavyweight champ who fought the likes of Roy Jones Junior, Glen Johnson and Dariusz Michalczewski back in the early to mid 2000s, has since moved up to 191-pounds. Stopping former cruiserweight king O’Neil Bell in his last fight back in June of last year, the Jamaican southpaw who is 30-8(28) faces the 33-1(23) Drozd in what will be his second fight as a cruiser.
Still a capable fighter at age 40, Hall’s name might come as a surprise to some if he does wind up facing Lebedev next. After his dominant wins over Roy Jones and James Toney, it was hoped the big-punching Lebedev would fight someone other than a veteran in his next fight. Boxrec have Lebedev, 23-1(17) down as fighting again in Moscow on April 8th, and if Hall come through against Drozd (which is no certainty) he could be next for the 32-year-old lefty.
Again, Hall is a good fighter even at 40 and after having had such a long career (a pro since 1993, Hall took the years 2008 and 2009 off), but will fans buy into his challenging Lebedev? We don’t know how good Lebedev is and we won’t find out if he continues to face former champions who are past their very best.
Hall has been KO’d five times in his career. I think Lebedev will have a good chance of making that number six if he fights him. Put it this way, it would be a pretty big upset if “The Destroyer,” as Hall is known, were to defeat Lebedev.