:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69408560/DiazRakhimovWeighIn_Hoganphotos28938.0.jpg)
RCC Boxing, which promotes recent IBF super featherweight title challenger Shavkat Rakhimov, has revealed that their charge’s vacant title fight against Kenichi Ogawa will take place in Dubai on August 20th.
Поединок Рахимова за титул чемпиона мира IBF пройдет в новые сроки Бой боксера Академии единоборств РМК Шавката...
Posted by RCC Boxing Promotions on Friday, June 4, 2021
The fight previously had a working date of July 17th.
Rakhimov (15-0-1, 12 KO) challenged Joseph Diaz Jr. for the belt in February, but had to settle for a majority draw against the overweight champion. “JoJo” proceeded to move to lightweight, where he’ll face Javier Fortuna next month, while Rakhimov gets another shot at gold against Ogawa (25-1-1, 18 KO). The 33-year-old out of Tokyo hasn’t tasted defeat since 2012 and is 3-0-1 since being stripped of the IBF belt for a failed drug test, the sole blemish a technical draw against Filipino contender Joe Noynay.
Whoever wins must presumably then face Azinga Fuzile, who stopped Martin Joseph Ward in an eliminator last month. Rakhimov previously earned his crack at Diaz with an impressive comeback knockout of South Africa’s “Golden Boy.”
Looks like a solid matchup from where I’m sitting. Let’s just hope they offer a way to tune in.