By Alexey Sukachev

Aside from the big night of boxing at DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia, there were four more boxing events in various cities of the world’s biggest state over the last three days. Two of those cards were of some note.

Magnitogorsk, Thursday, 6th of July

World of Boxing promotional company got back to its regional business, staging a well-packed boxing show at the Romazan Ice Palace in Magnitogorsk, the home of one of the best and most well-known Russian ice hockey teams, named Metallurg Magnitogorsk (the native team of NHL star Evgueny Malkin).

In the night’s featured fight, WBO #3 and IBF #10 rated lightweight Roman Andreev improved his record to solid 20-0, 14 KOs, after the first-round knockout of 39-year old South African veteran kayo artist Patrick Malinga (30-11-3, 27 KOs). Andreev, 31, retained his WBO I/C lightweight title for the second time.

WBO #15 super lightweight Georgiy Chelokhsaev (12-1-1, 10 KOs) destroyed his Tanzanian opponent Mohammed Kambuluta (15-3, 4 KOs) also in the first. Kambuluta fought instead of another Tanzanian named Idd Paliari. Chelokhsaev retained his WBO Youth light welterweight title.

Young light middleweight Nikita Miroshnichenko (9-0, 2 KOs), 20, decisioned fellow 20-year old Tanzanian Meschack Mwankemwa (16-3-2, 9 KOs) over ten for a vacant WBO Youth 154lb title. Final scores were: 98-92, 98-92, 97-93. Interestingly, Mwankemwa was destroyed in two by… Chelokhsaev two divisions lighter in September 2016.

Ekaterinburg, Saturday, 8th of July

On the eve of his main boxing tournament, Russia’s second-biggest boxing promoter German Titov of the RCC Boxing Promotions, staged a much smaller open-air supportive event at the Drama Theater Square with several lesser-known boxers taking their part in.

The star of the show was WBO #11, WBA #13 and IBF #14 cruiserweight Yuri Kashinskiy (13-0, 12 KOs), who retained his WBO Oriental belt for the second time with the second-round stoppage of wornshop Hungarian veteran Gabor Halazs. After a cautious opening, Kashinskiy, 31, dropped his opponent four times in round two, finally forcing referee to wave it off after the fourth knockdown even though the so-called Big Daddy Fisherman was up and willing to continue being punished. Halazs is now 38-18, 17 KOs.

Fighting for the second-time after three years off the ring, welterweight Mikhail Smirnov (8-0, 3 KOs) got a spirited split decision over tough dark-skinned Ukrainian Vladyslav Baranov (5-3-2, 4 KOs), who is now fighting of Ekaterinburg, Russia. Baranov is 1-2-1 since relocating himself to Russia.

After two consecutive draws, light welterweight Alexander Sharonov (9-1-2, 4 KOs) came back to the winning column with a unanimous decision over eight rounds against less experienced Ashot Papyan (3-2, 1 KO).

Ukrainian light middleweight champion Eduard Skavinskiy (6-0, 4 KOs) stopped Russian Evgueny Nikitin (2-2, 1 KO) at 0:59 of the sixth. In the upset, lightly regarded Georgian Tornike Puritchamiashvili (10-5, 6 KOs) stopped previously unbeaten Russian heavyweight Anton Dryuchin (7-1, 7 KOs) in one round.

Other results:

Sukias Kuyumchian (2-0) SD 4 Doston Ramziev

Gasan Gimbatov (1-0, 1 KO) TKO 1 Farrux Madaminov (3-6-1, 1 KO). Time was 1:26.

Moscow, Saturday, 8th of July

Results:

Yerzhan Zalilov (8-0-1, 3 KOs) TKO 2 Shukur Abdinabiev (0-1)

Alexander Ivanov (11-3, 7 KOs) TKO 2 Yuri Bashmanov (0-2)

Igor Ivanchenko (3-0, 1 KO) TKO 2 Roman Ryabukin (0-1). Ryabukin down twice in the first

Alibek Elberdov (2-0, 1 KO) TKO 1 Saveliy Kuptsov (0-2)

Ruslan Mbaziira (1-0, 1 KO) TKO 1 Vitaliy Charkin (0-19)

Sergey Akopyan (2-0) SD 4 Shergazy Sakiev (0-4)