Beibut Shumenov calls out other titlists, but Campillo still lurks

WBA heavyweight titlist Beibut Shumenov is calling out the division's other titleholders, as well as world champion Jean Pascal.

"I want a unification fight next," Shumenov said. "I'm ready to fight any of the other champions now. (Jean) Pascal and (Tavoris) Cloud are both good champions and I'd love to fight either one. Throw in world champion Juergen Braehmer, too. My goal is to unify the titles. I have a lot of respect for all of the other champions but I want their titles."

The 27-year-old from Kazakhstan has been incredibly ambitious in his young pro career, going 10-1 (6 KO) and winning a major title. But that title, won in January of this year, did not come without controversy. Most observers felt Shumenov was the recipient of a gift decision against Gabriel Campillo, to whom Shumenov had lost in August 2009. And Campillo hasn't forgotten, either.

In an interview with Ben Jacobs of FightHype, Campillo made clear he wants a third fight with Shumenov. He feels Shumenov will do whatever he can to delay or avoid that fight, and so far Shumenov has shown no interest in giving Campillo a rubber match. The fact that Campillo (20-3, 7 KO) is worth little money anywhere and is a difficult fight for anybody at 175 has a lot to do with that. Shumenov already has the aggressive business mind of a promoter, and you can easily argue that Campillo is low-reward and very high-risk.

Of the other titlists, Braehmer would be the most likely fight for Shumenov. Cloud is looking at bigger U.S. names, and Pascal has money options out there, while Shumenov's last fight was in an empty parking lot in Lemoore, California. If Shumenov does want a fight with the other belt-holders or Pascal, it'll have to be on their terms, something Shumenov hasn't had to deal with yet.