Eastern Europe Update!

By Alexey Sukachev

Rising Finnish junior welterweight prospect Jaakko Myllylä (now 8-0, 2 KOs) scored his biggest career win this Saturday in Haapavesi outpointing upset-minded Russian journeyman Andrey Devyataykin (14-18-1, 5 KOs) over eight hard-fought rounds. With the win Myllylä acquired the vacant Baltic Boxing Union 140lb belt.

After a close opening stanza former three times Finnish amateur champion Myllylä was a bit sharper than his opponent in following rounds until Devyataykin made his best performance during the middle part of the contest. Finally, Myllylä confirmed his victory with some good punches and by being more active in later rounds. Late of the last round the clash of heads opened a cut in Myllylä´s upper part of forehead but it was too late to help Devyataykin to turn the fight back for him. All three judges saw it in favor of the local hero with the scores 80-72, 78-75 and 78-77.

Tough Uzbek light heavyweight Gayratjon Akhmedov (10-0-1, 6 KOs) will come back into the ring on May 9th against an opponent to be named later in Chimkent, Kazakhstan. Akhmedov has been recently signed by KZ Event Productions, the newly created promotional company ruled by sensational Kazakh boxer-promoter Beibut Shumenov and his brother Chingis.

Meanwhile, Shumenov fight versus Columbian Alejandro Berrio for a vacant IBA 175lb crown will also be reportedly entitled to three minor regional titles, which include the WBO Asia Pacific, the WBC Asian Boxing Council and an interim version of the PABA belts. Former world champion DeMarcus Corley (33-10-1, 19 KOs) is also said to take his part in the action.

Former Kazakh flyweight contender Marat Mazimbaev, now working as a promoter, will present a fight card on April 17th in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In a main event of the show, young local prospect Kanat Altaev (3-0-2, 2 KOs) will collide with hard-nosed journeyman Tolgat Dosanov (12-11-1, 5 KOs) in a ten-round bout for the vacant Kazakhstani heavyweight title. Welterweight Vladislav Savchenko (9-0, 5 KOs) takes on Thai Somchai Nakbalee (12-7-1, 5 KOs) in a scheduled eight-rounder, while veteran super bantamweight Yersin Jailauov (19-6-1, 7 KOs) battles another Thai Narongnoi Or Muangklang (9-3, 5 KOs) over six rounds.

Kosovo capital Prishtina will welcome its first ever boxing tournament in a new status on April 18. Headlining the show is a well-known Kosovo native and long-time fringe contender Elvir Muriqi (35-5, 22 KOs) who will clash against Ukrainian Olexander Garaschenko (15-12, 7 KOs) over ten rounds. Cruiserweight Shpetim Shala (5-0, 2 KOs) engages durable Croatian journeyman Josip Jalusic (10-15-1, 7 KOs) for the Austrian national title while fellow prospects Sefer Seferi (6-0, 5 KOs) and Erjon Zeka (6-1, 1 KO) both will fight the limited opposition in the undercard. The show will be held in honor of the children who lost their parents during the Kosovo war.

Big boxing will back to Podgorica, Montenegro, on April 16. Unbeaten Balkan prospects Predrag Radosevic (17-0, 7 KOs) from Montenegro and Nenad Borovchanin (18-0, 14 KOs) from Serbia will be showcased in separate bouts. American middleweight Sammy Merza (15-1, 12 KOs) will appear in undercard. Also, WIBA featherweight titleholder Irma Balijagic-Adler (9-0, 5 KOs) will take her part in a six-round non-title fight.