At the Probox TV Event Center in Plant City, Florida, Kazakh fighter Batyrzhan Jukenbayev (23-1) has a terrifying pedigree against former fringe contender Ivan Redkach (24-7-1). It was crushed.
The calculating Soviet style was no match for the old Ukrainian, who could only withstand the oncoming barrage of brutal body blows. Redkach will be a valuable stepping stone for Djukenbayev, who forced him out of the competition within five rounds.
After all, Redkach boasts losses to some of the best fighters in the division, including Regis Prograis (29-2), Danny Garcia (37-3) and Tevin Farmer (33-5-1, 1 draw). But he also has wins over the likes of Devon Alexander (27-8-1, 1 draw), so the Californian is no weakling by any means.
The win places Djukenbayev at the bottom of a crowded field of 140-pound contenders, and his dangerous, crafty style would see him as a high-risk, low-reward fighter among the upper echelons of the super lightweight division.
With pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford (40-0) looking on, it’s only a matter of time before more attention is focused on the Shu-born fighter. So, what kind of matchups can we expect for “Batyr” in the future?
Jamaine Ortiz
The 17-2-1 Massachusetts native is a big name who would make an interesting opponent for the Soviet-based Zukembayev.
Having won honors at the North American level and twice faced some of the best fighters such as Vasyl Lomachenko (18-3) and Teofimo Lopez (20-1), his profile further explores Jukenbayev's career. It will be an attractive thing to strengthen.
On top of this, Jukenbayev’s aggressive style will allow him to catch out “The Technician” and push the bout forward, which may be necessary given his performance against Lopez.
Gustavo Lemos
Argentina’s Lemos (29-1) is coming off a brutal scorecard defeat against Matchroom USA prospect Richardson Hitchens (18-0). “El Electro” is a fighter with plenty of power and the means to use it in the ring.
But with only a loss to Subriel Matias (20-1) to date, Jukenbayev is no stranger to power punchers and uses lateral movement to get the better of the former IBF Latino super lightweight titleholder. You could do that.
It will certainly be an interesting fight for the new WBA Intercontinental North American Super Lightweight title holder.
richardson hitchens
Next, why not pit him against the dazzling Hitchens?
After all, his last fight with Lemos gave him little confidence, and the boxing world at large seems to have little faith in the Brooklyn native's development.
With his slippery technique and some notable wins on his resume, including a win over Jose Zepeda (37-5), his turn to face the man who lost to Matias may give the New Yorker confidence in being next in line to face the Puerto Rican, who seems minimally confident going into the bout.
Sergey Lipinets
Lipinets (18-3-1) last appeared on Pro Box TV, defeating Robbie Davis Jr. (23-5) in a bloody and brutal battle of attrition.
This will likely be an interesting matchup considering both are associated with the Pro Box brand and are from Kazakhstan. It will be a matchup that will highlight the crossroads that both sides are at.
Moreover, it will give Jukenbayev further experience against sharp, analytical and punching fighters like Samurai.
Dalton Smith
Impressive Sheffield fighter Dalton Smith (16-0) will be looking to step up to the world stage after stopping the formidable Jose Zepeda in his last fight.
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom and the boxing world at large have faith in the young “Thunder”, who combines plenty of amateur experience with a willingness to face the best, and given how he has won most of his bouts so far, a fighter like Jukenbayev, with a bit more professional and even amateur experience, would be fascinating to watch in action.
The fight also includes the WBC silver belt that Dalton currently holds, meaning the winner will likely advance to the top of the weight class.
