News and Notes

David Alaverdian is targeting a late September or early October date for his next fight. The 8-0-1 flyweight is back in Las Vegas training. He last fought on April 10.

Stefi Cohen (4-1-1) was recently asked who she would most like to fight. She answered that taking on Ring flyweight champion Marlen Esparza down the road would be fun.

Cletus Seldin worked with former foe, Eddie Gomez. Gomez posted a career record of 23-4 and last fought in 2019. Seldin and Gomez battled each other in the New York Golden Gloves over ten years ago.

Mikhael Ostroumov was seen working out in the Nakash Gym in Tel Aviv a couple of weeks ago. His career has been set back by a series of injuries and he's currently recovering from shoulder surgery. Ostroumov was able to use both arms effectively, which is good news for a possible return.

Mikhael Ostroumov Sustains an Injury

Southpaw super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov burst onto the pro scene in 2020 with four pro fights. He won three of them and deserved to win the other one, a majority draw against an undefeated opponent. All four fights took place in Russia.

Since then, Ostroumov has suffered injuries to his knee and his shoulder, which have hampered his promising career. The 25 year old from Afula, Israel has fought in a couple of amateur bouts and an exhibition match since, but his pro career had been put on hold.

Ostroumov recently traveled to Germany to restart his life as a prizefighter, but unfortunately, he suffered an injury while preparing for a fight. He is now back in Israel.

The setbacks have understandably been frustrating for Mikhael, who is very passionate about boxing. On his Instagram page, he echoes Canelo Alvarez's motto, "No boxing, no life." Hopefully, he can heal quickly and get back to doing what he loves.

2022: Year in Review

Canceled fights and curious decisions defined the year in Jewish boxing. Sadly, there were more canceled or postponed fights this year than actual fights. The Jewish Boxing Blog summed up the frustratingly unfair outcomes in an article last month.

David Alaverdian went 2-0-1 with 2 KOs in the pro ranks. He deserved to win the draw. Shawn Sarembock improved his record to 8-0 with 8 KOs. Stefi Cohen and Isaac Chilemba each went 1-1 this year. Igor Lazarev lost both of his fights but deserved to win one of them.

On September 15, four Jewish boxers took part in three bouts in Ashdod, Israel. Kickboxing star Itay Gershon won his pro boxing debut. Prospect Sagiv Ismailov won his third fight, and Aki Mishaev scored a knockout in his second fight. Ismailov, Mishaev, and Lazarev are among the Jewish boxers scheduled to fight on a card in Bnei Ayish, Israel on February 9. The resurgence of pro boxing in Israel is a big development.

There were quite a few boxing exhibition events in Israel this year, a great way to grow the sport in the country. Former world champion Hagar Finer put on a couple of them. Mor Oknin, Mikhael Ostroumov, and Nikita Basin were among the Jewish pro boxers to take part in such shows.

Former world champion Robert Cohen Z"L and heavyweight contender Tim Puller Z"L passed away this year.

The JBB reviewed Holocaust Histories, a podcast about boxers victimized during the Shoah. The reviews of books published this year or late last year include Boxing in Atlantic City, Gangsters vs Nazis, and The Unexpected Danny Green.

Some noteworthy profiles of past Jewish boxers were of Charley Phil Rosenberg, Henry Nissen, Ray Miller, Jack "Kid" Berg, and Izzy Zerling. Then, there was a look back at the wild Israeli amateur boxing scandal in 1988 and the night in 1929 when five Jewish boxing stars fought to raise money for the Jews of British Palestine. Two articles examined the different brands of boxing gloves and the importance of pad work.

The JBB conducted interviews with a few Jewish boxers this year. The interview with Yuri Foreman became two articles, one on his ambitions and another on his reflections. There were two separate interviews with David Alaverdian, one in article form, and a different one in video form. Shawn Michael Sarembock told The JBB his inspiring story. And the two articles about Dmitriy Salita concentrated on his career as a boxer and his work as a promoter.

As for The Jewish Boxing Blog, this year was amazing! Two of the last four months have seen the most traffic in the nearly 13-year history of this site. The other two months were not far behind. The number of followers of the Jewish Boxing Instagram page has more than tripled in the past year, and Twitter followers have doubled in the past two years. A special shoutout to supporters of the Jewish Boxing BuyMeACoffee page ($3 for all newsletters). You are truly appreciated!

Next year looks like there will be a few pro debuts, which is exciting. And hopefully, there will be many more fights. All the best to you and yours.

Ostroumov Overcomes Injury, Beats Basin

Mikhael Ostroumov defeated Nikita Basin in an all-Jewish exhibition match at Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv, Israel tonight. The bout was a four-rounder.

Southpaw Ostroumov, 24 years old, outboxed the 35 year old Basin. Basin relentlessly pressed forward with his hands up, but as soon as he began to fire, Ostroumov initiated quick counters. Ostroumov injured his left shoulder during the fight and relied mostly on movement and his jab. He occasionally showed the left but couldn't muster much power with those punches.

In a comical- though not funny- moment after the fight, referee Shlomo Niazov raised Ostroumov's left hand in victory. Everything was normal at first, but something quickly changed. Ostroumov began howling in pain. Unfortunately, his yell sounded exactly like one gives after they win, an elated, "Ahhhh!" Though the fight was an exhibition, Mikhael had just recovered from an ACL injury, so that level of excitement wouldn't have been out of place. Niazov must have assumed the yell was a happy one and didn't immediately release Ostroumov's arm. After breaking free, Mikhael was able to celebrate with his team shortly after and no additional damage was done.

An electric atmosphere burst inside the Dizengoff Center for the event, promoted by former bantamweight world champion Hagar Finer. This was a far cry from boxing events in Tel Aviv about ten-fifteen years ago when polite claps occasionally interrupted the awkward silence.

For Ostroumov, who goes by "Mikhael" on Instagram and "Mikhail" on his trunks, it was surely a bittersweet fight. His knee held up, but his shoulder gave out. Since it was an exhibition, Ostroumov remains 3-0-1 with one KO and Basin is still 4-2 with 4 KOs.

courtesy of Tomer Ben Shalom's IG story

Mikhael Ostroumov to Face Nikita Basin in Exhibition

Mikhael Ostroumov and Nikita Basin are scheduled to face each other in a four-round exhibition at Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv, Israel on Monday, July 4. The fight is the main attraction of an event put on by former bantamweight world champion Hagar Finer. World title challenger Ran Nakash is helping out. Former pro boxer and Olympian Shlomo Niazov is set to be the referee of the main event.

Ostroumov is a 24 year old southpaw prospect. He went 3-0-1 with one KO to start his career in 2020 but suffered a knee injury which has slowed his progress. Ostroumov fought in the 2021 Israeli amateur championships but hasn't been in action since.

Basin is a 35 year old with a 4-2 record. Beginning in 2019, he won his first four fights by KO. After a 21 month layoff, Basin took a giant leap up in opposition.  He was stopped against former English light heavyweight champ Joel McIntyre and undefeated prospect Kyle Lomotey in his last two fights, both in England.

Ostroumov is younger, taller, and more skilled. Basin has been more active, is tough, and has power. Admission to the entire event, which starts at 7pm local time, is free. Since it's an exhibition, the result won't count on the fighters' official records. The point is to grow the sport of boxing in Israel, which currently has a few very dedicated fighters and coaches but not much of a fanbase.

Boxing Brings People Together

Last night  Mikhael Ostroumov was in Bălţi, Moldova to cheer on two teammates from his boxing club located in Afula, Israel. In one fight, Yosef Ktzraui, an Arab Israeli, stopped Turac Icoz of Turkey. Ktzraui was a bit wild and occasionally fought with his hands down, but he battled like a bulldozer as he overwhelmed his more experienced opponent. In another fight, Khalil Jabarin, another Arab Israeli, also had his hand raised after facing Mucahit Rahman Birsan of Turkey. After the matches, Mor Oknin voiced his support for the Israelis online.

Ktzraui and Jabarin both made their debuts on a card promoted by Evgheni Boico for Arena Boxing Moldova. A promoter and a coach, Boico is an increasingly important man in Moldovan boxing and in Israeli boxing. Last night's event included boxers from several countries.

Boxing has the power to bring people together. This is especially true in Israel where Jews and Arabs don't always have a chance to develop meaningful relationships with one another. Since the popularity of the sport is relatively small in the country, Jews and Arabs must train together. Boxing can help form friendships that might not otherwise exist. These friendships can help break down walls of bigotry.

The old Am-Shalem's gym in Nazareth was a place that brought together Jews and Arabs. Tony Milch's Gloves and Doves program is also bringing boxers of different backgrounds together in an attempt to foster peace. The relationship between Arthur Abramov and Nur Rabia, chronicled in the short film Jerusalem In Between, is another example of boxing building bridges.

It's ironic that such a violent sport can help forge unlikely friendships, but there is something about two fighters baring their souls inside the squared circle, putting their lives on the line for the entertainment of the fans, that produces a shared experience in which few others in the world can relate.

As Dahlia Am-Shalem once said, "You take two boxers: one white, one black; one Arab, one Jew; whatever and whoever wins the fight, you'll always see them embrace at the end. Boxing breeds mutual respect. It binds people together."

Ostroumov Suffers Major Knee Injury

Southpaw super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov recently disclosed that he suffered a severe knee injury in a post on Instagram. The injury will keep him out of action for a significant but undisclosed amount of time.

Ostroumov is 3-0-1 with one KO as a pro. He made his debut on June 27, 2020 and earned a TKO victory over a 40-fight veteran. His lone draw came in his second fight against a 5-0 opponent, Ravshan Ergashev. The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout in favor of Ostroumov.

His next fight ended in a convincing victory over Vasily Shytck, a  tough opponent despite his mediocre record. Ostroumov last fought on December 10 against a weaker foe.

As the lines between amateur and professional boxing become increasingly blurred, Mikhael participated in the Israeli national amateur championships this past August. He dominated his semifinal match but dropped the final by decision to Yan Zak. Ostroumov's heaviest weight as a pro has been 168.75 pounds. In August, he fought in the 86 KG division in the amateur tournament, which is over twenty pounds heavier.

When Ostroumov recovers, and after a couple tune-up fights, a matchup against undefeated prospect Stephane Fondjo would be a good one. Fondjo (6-0, 5 KOs) is from Cameroon and based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Despite his impressive record, Fondjo's people probably won't want any part of a healthy Ostroumov. Fondjo has been in with soft touches thus far. One opponent was so green he spent much of the brief fight crouching with his hands over his head, not a defensive technique typically used in the sweet science. Predictably, Fondjo won that "fight" by KO. But if Fondjo's management has the courage, a bout against Ostroumov would be a good test for their man.

While Ostroumov recovers, catch up on his career by viewing video and reading The Jewish Boxing Blog's coverage of his fights...

Mikhael Ostroumov's pro fight videos and coverage:
Fight 1- June 27, 2020 vs. Karen Avetisyan [JBB article]
Fight 2- September 4, 2020 vs. Ravshan Ergashev [JBB article]
Fight 3- October 30, 2020 vs. Vasily Shtyk [JBB article]
Fight 4- December 10, 2020 vs Evgenii Tershukov [JBB article]

2021 Israeli Amateur Championships

The lines between the amateur ranks and the pro game have become increasingly blurred in boxing. Some Jewish boxers who have turned pro were able to fight in last week's Israeli amateur championships. After going pro, Miroslav Kapuler, Yotham Shalom, Mikhael Ostroumov, and Arthur Abramov all took part in the tournament held in Oranit.

Kapuler, who has also fought under the surname Ishchenko, dominated the 71 kg division. He stopped his first opponent in the second round and then swept his next two foes five to nothing on points. Miroslav is 2-0 as a pro with one KO. He last fought professionally in April.

After a bye in the quarterfinals, Shalom edged a victory in the semis by the score of 3-2. He swept the finals of the 57 kg division 5-0 on points. Yotham is 2-0-1 as a pro with one KO. His last fight for pay was a decision victory in 2019. He has been scheduled to fight professionally since then, but his fights have fallen through due to covid-19 restrictions.

Ostroumov stopped his opponent in the semis of the 86 kg division in the first round of the contest after earning a bye in the quarters. The tough body-assaulting southpaw dropped a decision in the final to 21-year old Yan Zak. Mikhael, sometimes spelled Mikhail, is 3-0-1 as a pro with one KO.

Abramov was stopped by Zak in the third round of their semifinal encounter. Arthur won his lone pro fight by way of first round knockout. That bout took place in January of 2020.

The entire tournament results can be viewed here.

Ostroumov Off Today's Moscow Card

Southpaw super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov was originally scheduled to fight tonight against veteran journeyman Konstantin Piternov at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia.  While the card will go on, neither Ostroumov nor Piternov is scheduled to take part according to BoxRec.

Two weeks ago, Ostroumov won every round against Evgenii Tershukov. But an accidental clash of heads caused the fight to be stopped in the fifth round. Ostroumov won a technical unanimous decision to go 3-0-1 with one KO. Ostroumov, who turned 23 years old that same night, could be seen around Moscow sporting a bruised right eye from the bout.

Ostroumov turned pro on June 27. His lone draw came on September 4 against Ravshan Ergashev, who was 5-0 at the time. The JBB scored the fight for the Israeli-born fighter. Piternov would have represented an interesting challenge. The 37 year old from Russia sports a 22-25 record with 10 KOs. He started his career 12-0 before becoming an opponent for fighters on the way up. He is a fast starter, but often curiously bows out of fights due to injury.

Mikhael has shown an ability to box and also to apply pressure in his young career. He is an adept body puncher and has the look of a good prospect.

Three Jewish Boxers Win

Igor Lazarev rebounded from a second round stoppage loss in September- his first career setback- with a first round knockout of Hakan Ozdemir on a body shot. After his win in Istanbul, Lazarev is now 7-1 with 3 KOs. Ozdemir is now 0-2. 

Sagiv Ismailov, who fought on the same card as Lazarev, won his second pro fight by technical knockout. He scored three knockdowns in defeating Merdan Hudaykulyyev and is now 2-0 with 2 KOs. Ismailov landed two lefts from the southpaw stance to get the first knockdown. He landed a left hook from a right-handed stance to get the second knockdown.Hudaykulyyev was overwhelmed by Sagiv's hard blows when he fell a third and final time. Hudaykulyyev, who is listed on Boxrec, as a 20 year old resident of Turkey who was born in Turkmenistan, is now 1-2 with one KO.

Mikhael Ostroumov defeated Evgenii Tershukov in Vladikavkaz, Russia. The fight was stopped a minute and 23 seconds into the fifth round due to a cut caused from a head clash. Ostroumov won each of the five rounds on all three judges' cards to take a technical decision. He is now 3-0-1 with one KO. Tershukov falls to 0-11. 

Three Jewish Fighters in Action Tomorrow

Mikhael Ostroumov, Igor Lazarev, and Sagiv Ismailov are all scheduled to fight tomorrow, December 10. Lazarev and Ismailov will battle in separate bouts in Istanbul, Turkey. Ostroumov will fight in Vladikavkaz, Russia.

Super Middleweight Ostroumov is scheduled to face Evgenii Tershukov in  a stay-busy fight. Tershukov is a 5' 11 and a half inch 26 year old from Verhnya Pyshma, Russia. He is a ten-fight veteran, but all ten of those contests were losses. He has been stopped four times. He has only fought two opponents with more than three fights of experience. Ostroumov (2-0-1 one KO) has been in tough in his early career. His debut was against a 46-fight veteran while his second one was against a 5-0 prospect. The latter was scored a draw, but Ostroumov deserved to win. He is also scheduled to fight Konstantin Piternov, a 46-fight veteran, on December 24.

Lightweight Igor Lazarev is slated to fight Hakan Ozdermir, a 27-year old from Turkey. Ozdermir weighed 123 pounds when he got knocked out last February in his only career pro fight. Lazarev is coming off of his lone career loss, a second round stoppage at the hands of Binali Shakhmandarov in September. The 34 year old is 6-1 with two KOs.

Super Middleweight Sagiv Ismailov is penciled in to fight Merdan Khudaykuliyev, a native of Turkmenistan. Khudaykuliyev isn't yet listed on BoxRec, so it's possible this is his pro debut. A fighter by that name made it to the semis of the 2017 Turkmenistan Junior National Championships at a much lower weight. A Merdan Khudaykuliyev can be found on social media showing off his impressive biceps and is listed as 25 years old. But who knows? For his part, Ismailov, an 18 year old from Bnei Ayish, Israel, scored a second round TKO victory in his debut in September.

The two fights in Turkey are scheduled for four rounds while Ostroumov's bout is for six.

Ostroumov Wins Grueling Bout

Mikhael Ostroumov defeated Vasily Shtyk be way of decisive decision last night at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia. In a battle of southpaws, Ostroumov’s relentless pressure and volume punching carried the fight.

Shtyk, a 26 year old based in Russia, impressed in the opening round. In his previous fight against Shamil Khataev, Shytk boxed, but he stood his ground early in this contest. Shtyk connected with solid power jabs as Ostroumov came straight forward with his hands up. While the 22 year old Israeli-native bullied Shtyk and landed a solid left in the first, Shtyk landed the best punch of the round, a right hook that wobbled Ostroumov. Shtyk followed up with some additional clean punches but soon backed off.

The second round featured a similar flow as the first except Ostroumov was more effective. He continued to press forward and Shtyk spent most of the round with his back on the ropes. Ostroumov is a body basher, and his assault to the midsection wore down Shtyk and took away his will.

Shtyk rabbit punched incessantly beginning in that second round and continuing throughout the fight. Ostroumov landed a retaliatory low right, and Shtyk reacted as if he had forgotten his cup. It was a telling moment. Ostroumov never complained as he continued to eat headbutts, endure shots to the back of his head, and receive punches on the break. Instead, he stayed focus on the goal. Shtyk, on the other hand, wasn’t as stoic. He opened the third with a good jab as Ostroumov carelessly rushed forward, and a bit later he landed a check right hook, but that was essentially his last gasp.

Shtyk had another dramatic reaction to a low right in the third. In the next round, he lost a point for hitting on the break, which didn’t deter him from continuing to foul. Incongruously, Shtyk looked for a way out of the increasingly ugly beating he absorbed while remaining in the fight, taking his licks, and even fighting back, albeit to an ever-diminishing degree.

The final two rounds constituted a showcase for Ostroumov. He wouldn’t stop punching and he kept landing more crushing blows. His overhand left was particularly fetching. He threw powerful combinations, turned to another angle, and hit Shtyk some more. The referee was well within his right to stop the fight in the first minute of the final round. Though Shtyk resorted exclusively to illegal punches by the sixth, and the ref had to remind him to turn around and fight after a break, he was physically very tough, and survived the battering. His heart might not be made of iron, but his chin is.

The ring announcer declared Ostroumov the winner without reading the scores, but the The JBB had it 59-54, only giving Shtyk the first. Ostroumov is now 2-0-1 with one KO and Shtyk falls to 1-2 with one KO.

Ostroumov Scheduled to Fight Vasily Shtyk on Friday

Super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov is scheduled to face Vasily Shtyk on Friday at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia. Ostroumov is 1-0-1 with one KO while Shtyk is 1-1 with one KO.

Ostroumov is a 22 year old southpaw who fought to a disputed draw against Ravshan Ergashev, who was 5-0, on September 4. The JBB scored the bout for Ostroumov. All of the Israeli native's pro bouts have been held at this same arena.

Shtyk's shtick is boxing behind the stick. Though he owns an even record, he's no stiff. A 26 year old southpaw born in Belarus who fights out of town near Ikutsk near the Mongolian border, Shtyk was a decent amateur who had some success within Russia. Two years ago, Shtyk defeated Dmitriy Belykh in Irtusk by way of third round TKO. That has been Belykh's only pro fight.

Last month, Shtyk took on 3-0 Shamil Khataev, who had some international success as an amateur. In the bout, Shtyk used his jab to keep distance early. He doesn't possess the fastest hands or perfect punching technique, but he showed a potentially dangerous left hand. Vasily can loop the left and throw it straight down the middle effectively. He didn't throw any right hooks or uppercuts, he ignored the body, and didn't look to counter. Though only one judge gave him as much as a round, Shtyk was competitive during the first four rounds of an eight-round affair against Khataev.

Ostroumov is listed as three inches taller, and he is four years younger. Mikhael showed impressive skill and toughness in his last bout. Shtyk came apart a bit in the second half of his fight against Khataev. He didn't show the necessary mental toughness beginning in the fifth round. He often ignored the most important rule of boxing: protect yourself at all times. He constantly complained to the referee when he felt he was hit low, throwing his hands down and stepping back, leaving himself exposed. He suffered a bad cut by his right eye in the eighth round- fewer than two months ago mind you- and didn't handle it well. Shtyk spent the final round either running or holding. He turned his back to his opponent several times after breaks indicating he didn't want to be there.

This bout is now scheduled for six rounds. 

Mikhael Ostroumov to Fight This Month

Southpaw super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov is scheduled to fight at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia on October 30 according to BoxRec. Ostroumov is a 22 year old Israeli-born resident of Russia. He is 1-0-1 with one knockout in his young career.

In his first bout in June, Ostroumov punished his veteran foe to the body. Karen Avetisyan was in survival mode early and the fight was waved off in the second round. Last month, Ostroumov fought 5-0 brawler Ravshan Ergashev. Ostroumov dominated early but faded late and received a questionable majority draw. The JBB scored the fight in Mikhael's favor.

This will be Ostroumov's third fight in the same venue. This bout is scheduled for six rounds. No opponent has been announced.

Ostroumov Saddled with Draw, Deserved to Win

The judges ruled Mikhael Ostroumov's fight with Ravshan Ergashev today at the USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia a majority draw. Both boxers kept their undefeated records. Contrary to the official result, Ostroumov deserved his second career victory in as many pro fights.

Ostroumov, a southpaw super middleweight, set the tone in the opening second of the fight with a straight left. He outboxed Ergashev using that straight left as the Russian-based Uzbek brawler rushed in. Nicknamed "The Babyface Assassin" Ostroumov effectively ducked Ergashav's wild left hooks.

In the second, the 22-year old from Israel landed a left that forced Ergashev to perform an impromptu chicken dance. Throughout the round, Ostroumov went to the body effectively with both hands. At the end of the stanza, he took a half step back to avoid an Ergashev onslaught and countered beautifully. By the third round, Ostroumov bullied his usually aggressive volume-punching opponent. Ravshan was visibly frustrated when the bell rang to signify the end of the third.

Mikhael was extremely impressive against a tough foe. He looked like a 15-fight veteran, not a novice in his second pro fight. Ostroumov boxed when he wanted and forced an ineffective Ergashev on the backfoot when he desired. Four of Ravshan's five wins have come against opponents with a winning record, but Ostroumov made him look like an amateur. But Mikhael, who looks like a real climber, needs to improve his stamina.

Ergashev is a rugged brawler. He often led with his head, which bloodied Ostroumov's nose in the second round. By the fourth, Mikhael showed signs of exhaustion, and he held much more than he had previously. Ergashev landed a nice short right and a right uppercut in the round. Ostroumov had a better fifth, but his body language was unmistakable. Weariness was his toughest foe of the night. Though he landed some nice straight lefts and controlled center ring for some of the round, Ergashev kept flinging his wild punches, outworking the Israeli southpaw.

Boxing judges are supposed to score clean effective punching, ring generalship, and defense. If they had done so, Mikhael Ostroumov would be 2-0. Instead, these judges scored the sixth by using the criteria of 1980s Hip Hop. A tired Ergashev waved his hands like he just didn't care and then he screamed. The sight of Ergashev wildly swinging his arms with no intent to land punches while shouting can only be described as bizarre. As the seconds rolled by, the 28 year old's plan became apparent: he was attempting to con the judges into believing he was fresh and busy. In reality, if he landed a punch in the last round, it was by accident. A visibly worn down Ostroumov landed clean straight lefts so regularly that blood trickled from around Ergashev's eye.

When the first score was read- Ergashev by a point- Mikhael was confused. When the next two scores were read- 57 even- he was disappointed. The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the fight 58-56 for Ostroumov, who is now 1-0-1 with 1 KO. Ergashev is 5-0-1 with 2 KOs.

Ostroumov in Tough against Ergashev

Israel-born super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov is scheduled to face Ravshan Ergashev on September 4 at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia. Russia has had nearly a million cases of coronavirus and 16,000 deaths. Over 4,000 new cases and 100 death were reported today. If it takes place, this will be a battle between undefeated fighters just starting their professional careers.

Ostroumov, a 22 year old southpaw based in Russia, won his pro debut by TKO in June against a journeyman. Ergashev is 5-0 with two KOs. Born in Uzbekistan, the 28 year old fought for Russia as an amateur.

Uzbekistan has been a hotbed for prospects recently producing Israil Madrimov, Bektemir Melikuziev, and Murodjon Akhmadaliev to name a few. Ergashev fought Madrimov in the amateurs. Madrimov outboxed a game and competitive Ergashev to win by decision.

Ergashev is an aggressive pressure fighter and volume puncher. In his five pro fights, he has shown an indomitable determination and a propensity to wear down his foes. He is far from the most accurate puncher, but his misses often set up his best shot, a chopping counter right. Defensively, he keeps a high guard when pressing forward, and bounces and wiggles his upperbody so he's not a stationary target. In his first four fights, Ergashev's opponents all entered with a winning ledger, combining for a 9-1 record.

The tough Russian has experience against southpaws as well. Madrimov, the amateur standoff, is one. In Ergashev's debut, Rustam Svayev switched stances, but Svayev had been worn down by the second round and spent most of the fight squared up. Ergashev's third opponent, Artem Sarbei, was a full-fledged lefty. In a tiny ring, Sarbei used the ropes to scratch his back for most of the fight, so Ergashev hasn't truly been tested by a southpaw such as Ostroumov in the pros.

Ergashev has his flaws which Ostroumov can exploit. In the fifth round of his fight against Cuban Raiko Santana, Ergashev became frustrated with Santana's movement and slipperiness. Santana's problem was he only occasionally threw a potshot or a counter. The Uzbek Russian has already been cut twice as a pro, once in his second fight against Ilya Baladin and again against Santana. Ergashev has a bad habit of yelling when he punches which requires him to open his mouth. That leaves him susceptible to a broken jaw if Ostroumov can land on the chin as Ergashev yelps.

None of Ergashev's opponents have targeted his body, the typical way to slow down a pressure fighter. A body attack is likely Ostroumov's best hope. He showed a willingness to punish the midsection in his pro debut. Though Ravshan has boxed 25 pro rounds to Ostroumov's one and change, he hasn't stepped in the ring for money in over a year and has fought just under three minutes in the past two years. Though he turned pro in 2017, strangely he has been active as an amateur boxer in the past year as the lines between pro and amateur continue to blur.

This bout is set for six rounds. Ergashev has fought two six-rounders and one eight-rounder, but he did fade late in two of those contests. Ostromouv has fought for a total of three minutes and 34 seconds.

Ostroumov Starts Career with a Win

Super middleweight Mikhael Ostroumov won his professional debut last Saturday against Karen Avetisyan at USC Soviet Wings in Moscow, Russia. Ostroumov won by second round TKO.

A baby-faced 22 year old southpaw from Israel, Ostroumov had an experienced amateur career. In his first prize fight he came out throwing big shots and consistently attacking Avetisyan's body with right hooks and straight lefts. Avetisyan was convinced early to mostly cover up. Two minutes into the fight, he remembered he was in a boxing match and fired the occasional telegraphed punch from that point onward.

Mikhael Ostroumov continued to treat the 36 year old Avetisyan's body like a heavy bag into the second round. After three minutes and 34 seconds of watching Ostroumov pound away on Avetisyan, referee Alexey Kozlov decided he wanted to do something else and stopped the fight in a quiet moment. Outwardly, Avetisyan looked puzzled, but inwardly he was likely relieved and pretty sore.

In the United States Karen is almost exclusively a woman's name, but Avetisyan is undoubtedly a man, and a tough hirsute one at that. Born in Armenia, he moved to Russia for a professional boxing career that began in 2006. He has now lost his last 17 fights and hasn't had a win in 30 bouts. But this, his 47th fight, was only his sixth stoppage loss. He even went to six-round distance with Sergey Kovalev in 2010. Avetsyan's record falls to 9-34-4 with 4 KOs.

Ostroumov showed two noteworthy flaws in an otherwise impressive debut. He lunged forward too much when throwing the jab and he also found himself squared up right in front of his opponent on a couple occasions. Avetisyan wasn't an opponent who could take advantage of those flaws, but Mikhael will meet someone in the future who can. Nevertheless, Ostroumov showed a good level of boxing intelligence with his body punches, his varied combinations, and his ability to change levels within a combination. After he was announced as the victor, Mikhael backflipped in celebration.