https://sputnikglobe.com/20181125/denis-lebedev-usyk-fight-1070117554.html
Russian Cruiserweight Boxer Beats American Rival, Seeks to Face Ukrainian Ace
Russian Cruiserweight Boxer Beats American Rival, Seeks to Face Ukrainian Ace
Sputnik International
The champion-in-recess, Denis Lebedev, 39, is now all set and ready to take on the undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. The World Boxing... 25.11.2018, Sputnik International
2018-11-25T14:48+0000
2018-11-25T14:48+0000
2022-08-06T12:24+0000
https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107011/73/1070117389_0:162:3047:1885_1920x0_80_0_0_1e02d31a26f56df49bfd2dddd4bdf54e.jpg
russia
ukraine
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
2018
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
News
en_EN
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
Sputnik International
feedback@sputniknews.com
+74956456601
MIA „Rossiya Segodnya“
newsfeed, sport, russia, ukraine, denis lebedev, oleksandr usyk, wba, us
newsfeed, sport, russia, ukraine, denis lebedev, oleksandr usyk, wba, us
Russian Cruiserweight Boxer Beats American Rival, Seeks to Face Ukrainian Ace
14:48 GMT 25.11.2018 (Updated: 12:24 GMT 06.08.2022) The champion-in-recess, Denis Lebedev, 39, is now all set and ready to take on the undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. The World Boxing Association has obliged the two to face off within the next three months and a half.
Denis Lebedev, the former Russian IBF and WBA cruiserweight champion (32-2, 23 КО), outclassed the unbeaten American boxer Michael Wilson (19-0, 8 KO) in Monaco on Saturday with a 12-round, unanimous decision (119-109 twice and 116-11).
The 39-year old Lebedev assessed his performance as "four out of give" and added that he would like to square off with Oleksandr Usyk from Ukraine, who holds all four belts and has never been defeated.
Lebedev held the WBA title in 2012-2018 and the IBF title in 2016. In February 2018, WBA demoted him to their "champion in recess" for his long absence from the ring due to injuries and endorsed a cruiserweight between IBF champion Murat Gassiev and "regular" champion Yunier Dorticos for the WBA world title.
READ MORE: Conor's Second Chance? Nurmagomedov May Fight McGregor in Boxing Ring — Coach
Gassiev defeated Dorticos and unified the titles; later on, he lost the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight final to Oleksandr Usyk, who became the undisputed cruiserweight champ. WBA issued a resolution saying that Lebedev and Usyk should hold a fight before March 10, 2019.
