By Alexey Sukachev

The upcoming fight between WBC cruiserweight champion Krzysztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk (47-2-1, 33 KOs) and Rakhim Chakhkiev (16-0, 12 KOs), the 2008 Beijing heavyweight gold medalist for Russia, is now under the personal control of Yunus-Bek Evkurov, the president of Ingushetia. The meeting between Evkurov, his team and Vyacheslav Karakash of the DRS Promotion, which will play a crucial role in staging the show, occurred a couple of days ago in Moscow, Russia, where Evkurov was presented due to various political activities. Evkurov ordered to start promotional and related advertising activities in Ingushetia, the Homeland of the hard-hitting southpaw prospect, and asked for a full-fledged support of local fans, who are willing to travel to Moscow to root for their compatriot.

Chakhkiev, ranked #2 by the WBC (as well as #5 by the IBF, #9 by the WBA and #11 by the WBO), enjoyed a big year in 2012, scoring five one-sided wins, three of them – inside the distance (including stoppages of ever-durable journeyman Zack Page and former world title challenger Epifanio Mendoza). Wlodarczyk was less active but also successful, erasing bad memories of his first bout with Francisco Palacios with a convincing decision in a rematch. The fight between Chakhkiev and Wlodarczyk will be held at “Dynamo” Palace of sports in Krylatskoe, Moscow, Russia, on June 21, 2013.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, feared Artur Beterbiyev, Chakhiev’s former teammate for the Russian Olympic squad and one of the hardest hitters in amateur boxing during the 00’s, will make his much anticipated professional debut on June 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as a part of the Chad Dawson vs. Adonis Stevenson undercard.

Beterbiev, 28, will debut against a relatively potent opponent in Ray Smith (9-6, 3 KOs). The fight will be scheduled for four rounds at the light heavyweight limit. 2006 Euro (with a win over Ismayl Sillakh in the finals) and 2009 world champion, who hadn’t grabbed any honors at 2008 or 2012 Olympic Games, is expected to rise pretty quick in professional ranks, given his overwhelming amateur experience and damaging punching power. Interestingly, Smith was blitzed in two by Sillakh in 2009. Will Beterbiyev be quicker to finish the American thanks to his bitter Ukrainian rival?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Former highly-ranked light heavyweight contender and ex-WBO title challenger Dmitry Sukhotskiy will continue his comeback to the elite on June 4 in his native city of Barnaul at Altay Mountains. Sukhotskiy (19-2, 14 KOs) is set to collide with Mikhail “El-Khattab” Krinitsin (11-3-2, 7 KOs) of Kazakhstan over ten rounds in the main event of the local show, promoted by Petr Rubtsov.

IBF #10 Sukhotskiy is best known for his spirited effort in Juergen Braehmer fight in December 2009. The Russian slugger was on the brink of stopping the WBO champion on his feet in one of the later rounds, while landing approximately 30 unanswered punches, but was very unlucky as the referee Mike Ortega refused to prevent Braehmer from fighting on. Braehmer cruised to a thin unanimous decision that night. After that Sukhotskiy was on the comeback road, when, being imported to the States, he suffered a bitter setback against Cornelius White, losing to him via a wide unanimous decision.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rising Germany-based Russian welterweight Roman Belaev (11-0, 9 KOs) will return to action on June 8 at the Obercorn Sports Centre in Diffedange, Luxembourg. The hard-hitting “Lion” will test his skills against Georgian opponent Georgy Ungiadze (22-14, 10 KOs) in a fight for a vacant WBF Intercontinental 147lb belt. In his penultimate fight Belaev managed to score an overwhelming win over durable Frenchman Frank Haroche Horta (30-9-5 at the time). He is one to watch after.