Bakhram Murtazaliev insisted that he had no problem fitting his 6’0′′ frame into a junior middleweight uniform. The defending IBF titlist proved it at the scales on Friday, when he checked in at a slender 152.8 pounds.
Russia’s Murtazaliev is set for his first title defense versus former WBO titleholder Tim Tszyu, who weighed 153.4 pounds. Their scheduled 12-round bout will headline a Premier Boxing Champions show this Saturday from Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida.
Prime Video will air the event live, beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Murtazaliev (22-0, 16 KOs) landed a high-profile affair for first title defense. He also finds himself back on the PBC circuit—this time with a televised audience. The unbeaten Russian won the belt on the road and in spectacular fashion.
Murtazaliev knocked out Jack Culcay in the 11th round of their April 6 vacant title fight in Falkansee, Germany. Validation came from Murtazaliev’s ridiculously long wait for a title shot. He became the mandatory in Nov.
2019, then accepted multiple step aside offers which included four consecutive non-televised bouts. His team finally stood tall last year when the IBF ordered his title shot. It resulted in then-Ring/undisputed champion Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs) vacating his IBF belt.
Charlo has since parted ways with all of his divisional hardware. Saturday marks PBC’s first standalone non-pay-per-view event on Prime Video. Its PPV launch on the platform was also headlined by Tszyu.
(24-1, 17 KOs.