Zhankosh Turarov, Nordine Oubaali, Davey Oliver Joyce set to fight on July 6 in Kazakhstan

Badlefthook.com

A July 6 card from Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, will stream live on ESPN+ in the United States, featuring the return of welterweight Zhankosh Turarov, plus the first title defense by WBC bantamweight titleholder Nordine Oubaali, and Irish featherweight Davey Oliver Joyce also in action, among others.

Turarov (22-0, 15 KO) is a 28-year-old Kazakh fighter who turned pro as a super featherweight back in 2009, and has steadily worked his way up in weight over time. He’s fought at 140, 147, and just north of 147, but also hasn’t been in the ring since a Sept. 2017 win over Bruno Leonardo Romay in Kazakhstan.

Oubaali (15-0, 11 KO) competed at the 2012 Olympics for France, beating Ajmal Faisal of Afghanistan and then upsetting Rau’shee Warren of Team USA, before losing in the quarterfinals to Ireland’s Michael Conlan. In January, he fought Warren again, beating him once more to win the vacant WBC bantamweight title on the Pacquiao-Broner undercard. Oubaali was rumored to be facing Luis Nery on the Pacquiao-Thurman card on July 20, but obviously that’s now not happening.

Joyce (10-0, 8 KO) is a 32-year-old Irish fighter, a 2016 Olympian who lost in the round of 16. At his age, calling him a “prospect” is a little difficult, and he’s not yet a contender, either. His last fight was in Dubai on April 5, where he stopped Stephen Tiffney in the seventh round to win a minor WBO featherweight belt, having previously fought nine fights as a lightweight or just over the super featherweight limit.

The show will also feature Kazakh prospects Sultan Zaurbek, Viktor Kotochigov, Ali Baloyev, Abilkhaiyr Shegaliyev, Nurtas Azhbenov, and Abay Tolesh.