MAGALI TO CHALLENGE WBC ASIAN CHAMP IN RUSSIA NOV. 18

RUSSIAN SNOW. Carlo Magali (left) and trainer Joven “JJ” Jorda outside their hotel upon their arrival in Russia on Nov. 15. (Photo by ERIC SANTIG)

By LITO DELOS REYES

INTERIM Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super featherweight champion Carlo “The Ferocious” Magali of the Philippines will be challenging WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver lightweight champion Pavel Malikov on November 18 at the DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The 30-year old Magali is accompanied by his trainers Joven “JJ” Jorda and Eric Santig of the Highland Boxing Stable from La Trinidad, Benguet.

Despite their more than 24 hours of connecting flights from Manila to Russia via Bangkok in Thailand, Magali arrived on Nov. 15 in good condition.

“OK lang condition ni Magali. Nakakain na rin siya. Malamig nga lang dito dahil my snow na,” said Jorda in his chat message.

Magali, who trained for two months had earlier captured his OPBF crown via a 10^th round technical decision against Mark Gil Melligan last April 1 in Bacolod City.

However, Magali lost by a 9^th round TKO to WBA International lightweight champion Emmanuel Tagoe in their championship fight held July 15 at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana.

Malikov, on the other hand, is making his first title defense of the vacant crown he won via a 3^rd round technical knockout win against another Filipino boxer Leonardo Doronio last July 11 also at DIVS.

The 30-year old Malikov also won the vacant Russia lightweight crown by a split decision against Nikolay Buzolin last February 22.

Three other Filipino boxers – Dennis Laurente, Jerry Castroverde and Marvin Esquierdo – are also seeing action in the same card promoted by German Titov of Titov Boxing Promotions.

Laurente (50-7-5), a former OPBF super welterweight champion from Butuan City, will challenge undefeated WBC Asian Boxing Council Silver super welterweight champion Magomed Kurbanov (8-0-0).

Castroverde (9-3-0) of Cebu will face another undefeated Russian Shavkat Rakhimov (6-0-0) for the vacant WBO Youth Intercontinental super featherweight crown.

Castroverde had fought but lost for the vacant IBF Youth super featherweight title via a unanimous decision to Aphiwe Mboyiya last July 29 in South Africa.

The 21-year old Esquierdo (7-1-1) of Cagayan de Oro City will clash against Mark Urvanov (7-1-0) for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Youth featherweight title.

Pitted in the main event are interim WBC Silver welterweight champion Dmitry Mikhaylenko (21-1-0) of Russia and challenger Breidis Prescott (30-8-0) of USA.

The main supporting bout is the battle for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental super featherweight title between undefeated Evgeny Chuprakov (16-0-0) and Jeremiah Nakathila (11-0-0).

The fights will be televised by the Russia Boets TV and Russia Match TV.