Adbullaev vs. Andreev in Russia  – World Boxing Association

On September 8, the last World Boxing Association (WBA) Gold champion, the Russian Roman Andreev, will be facing the complicated Armenian Zaur Adbullaev. 

The 10-round lightweight bout will be the main event of the card to be held on Eurasian soil, at the Traktor Sport Palace, Chelyabinsk, Russia. 

The 37-year-old Roman Andreev, the last WBA lightweight gold champion, will face his first fight in a little more than three years. The last time he saw action was in mid-2021, when he defeated Nicaraguan Freddy Fonseca (30-6-1) by unanimous decision.

Andreev (25-0 / 17KO) has a knockout power above 60%. Likewise, he accumulates a positive streak of four knockouts in his last six victories. It is worth noting that three of those knockout victories came before the third round. 

Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Zaur Abdullaev has been much more active in the ring than his opponent. This is his second fight of 2023, he defeated Panamanian Ricardo Nuñez (23-6) by unanimous decision at the beginning of the year. 

Abdullaev (17-1 / 10 KO), 29 years old, has important victories, such as the knockout he gave to former world champion Jorge Linares at the beginning of 2022. Likewise, the unanimous decision victory over Dejan Zlaticanin (24-4). 

Zaur’s only defeat as a professional was against the reigning world lightweight champion, American Davin Haney, who defeated him by knockout in the fourth round in mid-2019. 

However, the 29-year-old Armenian has a knockout power above 60%, and will be looking for the win to get closer and closer to the long-awaited world title. Meanwhile, the experienced Russian will come back from inactivity to hit the table and say that he is still alive and well in the division.