Sampson Lewkowicz, promoter of heavyweight powerhouse Magomed “Mago” Abdusalamov (15-0, 15 KOs), is sending his best wishes to the up-and-coming slugger in advance of his fight this week.
Abdusalamov will take another step up in class this Saturday (September 8) when he takes on former world title chaallenger and long-time top contender Jameel “Big Time” McCline for the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) heavyweight title in Moscow, Russia, on the undercard of the WBC Heavyweight Championship main event between Vitali Klitschko and Manuel Charr.
“Magomed has taken every step with ease so far,” said Lewkowicz. “Now we will see what he looks like against someone who has been to the top. I know he is ready for this challenge and is taking it very seriously. He knows another strong showing in front of all the dignitaries at this event will put him in a position for a very big fight in the near future.”
31-year-old Abdusalamov was last seen in July, demolishing well-thought-of contender Maurice Byarm by second-round TKO.
“That fight looked like a mismatch if you didn’t know that Byarm was considered an up-and-coming guy who had only lost to Bryant Jennings by decision. And Jennings went on to knock out Sergei Liakhovich, the former heavyweight champion, in his next fight. Mago made it look very easy against Byarm. That’s the kind of power he has. He will freeze you in your tracks, even if you try to move.”
Lewkowicz says he wants his fighter to know he’ll do well Saturday night.
“From the start, we have said that Mago is the man to dethrone the Klitschkos. And after his fight this weekend, that’s what everyone else will be saying too. I will wish him luck, but his two big fists are all the luck he needs.”
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
