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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Makhmudov: "The Most Significant
Fight Of My Pro Boxing Career"
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL - The Montrealer Russian Arslanberk Makhmudov will
dispute the most important fight of his pro boxing career
May 17th at the Montréal Casino.A fighter of 6’6’’ and 250
pounds, Makhmudov (6-0-0) will fight the Californian
Jonathan Rice (10-3-1) in a WBC InterContinental
championship.
Makhmudov scored KO or TKO in his six pro bouts. Rice
obtained six wins by KO or TKO in 14 pro bouts. ”I really
feel I am ready for a significant bout in spite of my lack
of experience,” said Makhmudov. “I will be perfectly
prepared for this challenge, mentally, physically and
technically, and I am positive I will win my first title in
pro boxing May 17th. Rice is certainly a good opponent, he
is strong puncher, but trust me, I will do the necessary to
dominate the action May 17th. This InterContinental
championship is the first important step in my pro boxing
career, and I want to maintain my progression until the
moment I will become world champion.”
Rice saw Makhmudov in action few times on videos. “Makhmudov
is a big man, but I am too,” said Rice. He is 6’6’’, I am
6’5’’. He is strong physically, I am too. I don’t know who
is the best technically between him and me, we will see it
May 17th, but I am sure I am a stronger puncher than him. I
really believe I gonna beat him by KO or TKO May 17th.”
“Makhmudov is certainly one of the best prospect of the
Canadian pro boxing, then, we really feel he is ready now
for an InterContinental championship,” said the promoter of
The Eye Of The Tiger Management Group, Camille Estephan. “We
are expecting an exciting fight, then, the Montréal boxing
fans should reserve their place as soon as possible at the
Casino Cabaret.”
Just before the fight Makhmudov-Rice, the Montrealer super
lightweight Mathieu Germain (16-0-1) will proceed to the
first defense of his IBF 140 pounds North American
championship in facing the veteran Mexican Eduardo Lopez
Rodriguez (29-6-2). Germain won this title last January at
the Montréal Casino, in beating Steve Claggett (27-5-2),
from Calgary, Alberta, by split decision in 10 rounds.
The others fighters involved in the preliminaries fights of
the evening May 17th will be: the Montrealer Russian super
lightweight Batyr Juikembayev (15-0-0), the middleweight
(160 pounds) Clovis Drolet (9-0-0), from Québec City, the
Montrealer light flyweight (106 pounds) female Kim Clavel
((7-0–0), the super welterweight (154 pounds) Raphael
Courchesne (5-0-0), from Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, and the
super middleweight (168 pounds) Lexson Mathieu (2-0-0), from
Québec City.
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