Murat Gassiev and Tony Yoka will meet on July 11 at Moscow’s VTB Arena, with Gassiev putting his secondary WBA heavyweight belt on the line in the main event of the next IBA Pro show.
Gassiev last fought in December, stopping Kubrat Pulev in the sixth round in Dubai to claim the belt. The former cruiserweight world champion had recently been linked with a possible August fight against Moses Itauma, but he will now face Yoka instead.
Watch Gasssiev vs. Pulev highlights: Watch
Yoka has also been inactive since December and was originally expected to fight Lawrence Okolie in April. That bout was canceled after Okolie returned an adverse finding from a VADA test during the build-up.
Gassiev showed respect for the French heavyweight ahead of the fight. “Tony Yoka is a tremendous champion, an Olympic gold medalist, a big, strong heavyweight with serious skills,” he said. “I have huge respect for him.”
The winner in Moscow could move closer to a shot at the full WBA heavyweight title, especially if Oleksandr Usyk and Agit Kabayel finalize their expected summer clash. For Gassiev, it is a chance to defend his position near the top of the division. For Yoka, it is another opportunity to revive his heavyweight career against a proven former champion.
