WBA world title fight will go ahead despite earlier reports
Following it’s initially late announcement, a world title fight was then pulled from this weeks’ Joshua-Ngannou card in Riyadh, after one fighter withdrew after an issue stemming from a pre-fight medical scan.
However, it appears that the bout has once again been added to the card.
Earlier this week, Jermell Charlo was stripped of his WBA super-welterweight title and was named as a ‘champion in recess’ by the pioneering sanctioning body.
As a result, a for the vacant title was confirmed as Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov (9-1) geared up to take on undefeated Russian, Magomed Kurbanov (25-0), who famously defeated Liam Smith in 2021.
Yet, just days before their fight, it was announced that Madrimov had been forced to pull out after concerning results from a scan, delaying the fight rather than cancelling it or forgoing the opportunity.
Now, esteemed boxing journalist, Dan Rafael, reports that Madrimov-Kurbanov will go ahead, after Madrimov underwent a second scan and was cleared to fight.
Per source in Saudi Arabia, Madrimov, who had new testing and review of his tests, has now been cleared and the Kurbanov fight for the vacant WBA 154 title is back on for Friday’s #JoshuaNgannou card. https://t.co/3Rj3wanJiW
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) March 5, 2024
“Per source in Saudi Arabia, Madrimov, who had new testing and review of his tests, has now been cleared and the Kurbanov fight for the vacant WBA 154 title is back on for Friday’s #JoshuaNgannou card.”
Madrimov has been inactive as ever since a win over Raphael Igbokwe last April, an issue that he has struggled with since turning professional in 2018. Meanwhile Kurbanov has been similar in his lack of outings, with his last appearance coming in May in a split-decision win over Michel Soro, who Madrimov beat back in 2021.
The full Joshua-Ngannou card will go ahead on Friday night and will be available to purchase on both DAZN PPV and Sky Sports Box Office, with a featherweight world title clash and a WBO interim heavyweight title battle appearing on the bill alongside the intriguing main-event.