Beibut Shumenov and Juergen Braehmer to Fight on Jan. 8

WBA light heavyweight titlist Beibut Shumenov will take on WBO titleholder Juergen Braehmer on January 8 at the Ice Mansion in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, an attempt to unify two belts at 175 pounds and move into a potential larger money fight sometime later in 2011.

Shumenov (10-1, 6 KO) has been an ambitious sort since turning pro in November 2007. After an easy fight against a fellow pro debut, Shumenov has taken on stiff tests left and right, advancing at a level almost never seen by prospects. In his fourth pro fight, he faced Donnell Wiggins (KO-2), and then went on a run of fights where he defeated Lavell Finger (KO-1), Montell Griffin (UD-12), Epifanio Mendoza (UD-10), and Byron Mitchell (TKO-4).

He received his first major title shot against Gabriel Campillo in August 2009, losing a majority decision at home against the Spaniard. A January 2010 rematch went Shumenov's way, though many felt it was a robbery. Now being co-promoted by Goossen Tutor to establish an American presence, Shumenov routed Vyacheslav Uzelkov in July in Lemoore, California.

Now he faces Braehmer (36-2, 29 KO), a German who has had his fair share of trouble outside of the ring. The 32-year-old Braehmer has fought just once outside of Germany, a 2009 defeat of Alexei Kuziemski in Hungary. That win netted Braehmer the interim WBO light heavyweight belt. Since then he's fought a couple of Universum specials against mediocre opponents.