By Jim Dower: WBC/WBO cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (14-0, 11 KOs) will have a little less than 4 months to wait to face the winner of the February 3 semifinals fight between Yunier “KO Doctor’ Dorticos and Murat Gassiev to meet one of them in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series [WBSS] tournament on May 11 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
By Jim Dower: IBF World cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) is highly motivated with his goal of unifying the division in 2018 by beating WBA Super World champion Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) on February 3, and then defeating the winner of this Saturday’s unification fight between WBO champion Aleksandr Usyk (13-0, 11 KOs) and WBC champion Mairis Briedis (23-0, 18 KOs).
By Gav Duthie: Murat Gassiev has stated in no uncertain terms that he will join the heavyweight division if he wins the WBSS Cruiserweight tournament. WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk made a similar announcement last year that he would eventually move up and it is becoming a more familiar story in recent times. The cruiserweight division is the best it has ever been but do these champions have the ability to dominate the division above, let’s look at the evidence and the future.
By Sean Jones: IBF World cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) could be making a move up to heavyweight if he defeats Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) on February 3, and then beats the winner of the January 27th fight between WBO champion Alexander Usyk and WBC champion Mairis Briedis.
By Jim Dower: WBA World cruiserweight champion Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) has revealed that his semifinals fight in the World Super Series against IBF champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) will be taking place on February 3 in Russia.
By Marcus Richardson: The dates are ready to be announced for the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight semifinals fights involving Murat Gassiev vs. Yunier Dorticos and Oleksandr Usyk vs. Mairis Briedis.
By Jim Dower: IBF World cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev (25-0, 18 KOs) took care of his first opponent in the World Boxing Super Series last Saturday night in his 3rd round knockout win over Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (53-4-1, 37 KOs), and he’s now heading towards a unification fight against WBA World cruiserweight belt holder Yunier Dorticos (22-0, 21 KOs) in his next fight in early 2018.