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Uzbekistan’s Kudratillo Abdukakhorov took a clear decision win over Japan’s Keita Obara tonight in Philadelphia, winning an IBF welterweight eliminator on the Gvozdyk-Ngumbu undercard.
Abdukakhorov (16-0, 9 KO) won on scores of 115-113, 117-111, and 118-110. Obara falls to 20-4-1 (18 KO).
With the victory, the 25-year-old Abdukakhorov is now in line for a shot at the 147-pound belt currently held by Errol Spence Jr, who just defended successfully against Mikey Garcia on March 16 in Texas.
Being honest, there wasn’t much from this performance that would give anyone confidence in Abdukakhorov’s chances against Spence (25-0, 21 KO), who is one of the top welterweights in the world. Abdukakhorov is a solid fighter, puts pressure on well, can take a shot, but on paper, he doesn’t seem to have any advantages in a matchup against Spence.
But he’s done what’s asked of him as far as getting a title shot lined up. This was his U.S. debut, and he has no real name value, so don’t go expecting him to face Errol any time soon, but eventually, it will have to be dealt with, if a deal can be made.