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It looks as though the IBF’s super lightweight eliminator tournament will indeed get off the ground. Mike Coppinger reports that #7 Subriel Matias and #8 Batyrzhan Jukembayev “have agreed to a fight this summer” that will be “carried by PBC.”
Kazakhstan’s Jukembayev (18-0, 14 KO), who recently signed with MTK Global and Rick Mirigian, will be taking a considerable step up in class. Though reportedly a strong amateur, his best professional victory was a 2019 decision over an aging Miguel Vazquez. Matias (16-1, 16 KO) has made a name for himself by beating undefeated prospects, most recently smashing Malik Hawkins, and offers a truly grueling style that can easily sink the unprepared.
That said, Jukembayev is clearly skilled, and their mutual taste for violence should make for a delightful slugfest.
As far as the other half of the bracket, Universum claims that Lewis Ritson vs. Jeremias Ponce is signed for June in the UK. All that’s left is an official date.