On Sunday, August 23, at the Open-Air Bike Show in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russian light heavyweight champion Stanislav Kashtanov (33-1, 19 KOs), from Serukhov, Russia, by way of Donetsk, Ukraine, who is ranked #5 by the WBA, fights former WBA Fedalatin super middleweight champion Felix Valera (12-0, 12 KOs), from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, currently ranked #6 at light heavy, for the interim WBA World light heavyweight title.

Thirty-one-year-old Kashatov turned pro in 2003 at the age of 18 and has fought most of his career at super middleweight. He won the vacant WBC Youth World super middleweight title in 2006 and held the belt for many years. In 2011 to fought and lost a split decision to Karoly Balzsay (23-2 coming in) for the vacant WBA World super middleweight title.

A little more than a year later, Kashatov won the interim WBA World super middleweight title by decisioning previously undefeated Server Emurlaiev (22-0 at the time) and successfully defended the title one time.

In his last fight, in June of this year, Kashatov stopped Konstantin Piternov in the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round fight to win the Russia light heavyweight title.

Twenty-seven-year-old Valera turned pro in 2012 at the age of 24 in his native Dominican Republic and quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Only two years after his debut, the undefeated Valera won the vacant Dominican Republic super middleweight title. In his next and most recent fight, Valera defeated Emiliano Cayetano to win the vacant WBA Fedelatin super middleweight title.

Sunday’s fight will be Valera’s first fight at light heavyweight. It will also be against no less a man than the light heavyweight champion of Russia.

This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.