Sultan Zaurbek faces Haithem Laamouzon next month’s MTK Fight Night

Undefeated Kazakh star Sultan Zaurbek will defend his WBO European super-featherweight title against dangerous challenger Haithem Laamouz when #MTKFightNight returns on April 15.
The show takes place at York Hall in London and will be broadcast live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV, with a British and Commonwealth lightweight title fight between Gavin Gwynne and Luke Willis serving as the main event.

Zaurbek (12-0, 8 KOs) is back after a successful 2021, winning the vacant WBO European super-featherweight title against Ronnie Clark last July, before a defence in December where he stopped Ryan Wheeler in six rounds.

He now has one of his toughest tests yet when he turns his attention to Laamouz (17-1, 7 KOs), who in his last fight won the EBU European Union super-featherweight title when he travelled to Italy to defeat local favourite Mario Alfano by unanimous decision.

MTK Global Promoter Lee Eaton said: “We wanted a serious test for Sultan and he’s definitely got one by facing Haithem Laamouz. It’s a fantastic fight and another great addition to our huge MTK Fight Night next month.

“Sultan has looked very impressive in his last few fights, but Haithem will be coming to win and make things very difficult, so we can’t wait to see how things unfold.”

Elsewhere on the event on April 15, Sam Gilley defends his English super-welterweight title against Drew Brown, Nina Hughes takes on Bec Connolly, plus Pierce O’Leary, Carl Fail, Elliot Whale, Dean Richardson, Paul Ryan and Jimmy Croxson are all in action.

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Pierce O’Leary, Sultan Zaurbek and Jimmy Croxson added to April 15 MTK Fight Night

Next month’s #MTKFightNight event has added three exciting stars to the bill – with Pierce O’Leary, Sultan Zaurbek and Jimmy Croxson all in action.
The card is headlined by a British and Commonwealth lightweight title fight between Gavin Gwynne and Luke Willis and takes place on April 15 at York Hall in London, which will be broadcast live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV.

Undefeated Irish sensation O’Leary (8-0, 4 KOs) returns after a superb 12 month period, where he earned impressive victories over Siar Ozgul, Jan Marsalek and Irvin Magno.

Highly-rated Kazakh fighter Zaurbek (12-0, 8 KOs) is back too after a successful 2021, winning the vacant WBO European super-featherweight title against Ronnie Clark last July, before a defence in December where he stopped Ryan Wheeler in six rounds.

Croxson will make his professional debut on the card after an impressive amateur career, with the highlight coming when he won the Haringey Box Cup at the age of 18.

MTK Global Promoter Lee Eaton said: “We’re pleased to bolster our MTK Fight Night event next month with the addition of these three exciting stars.

“Pierce and Sultan each had exceptional years in 2021, so it’s great to have them both back, and we’re very excited to see the professional debut of Jimmy Croxson too. Opponents for the three of them will be announced soon.”

Elsewhere on the event on April 15, Sam Gilley defends his English super-welterweight title against Drew Brown, plus Nina Hughes goes up against Bec Connolly in a rescheduled clash after they were originally due to meet in February. More fights for the card will be revealed in the coming days.

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Saturday: Sultan Zaurbek-Ronnie Clark Junior Lightweight Showdown and the Return of Tursynbay Kulakhmet to Stream Live and Exclusively on ESPN+

(July 8, 2021) — Many of Kazakhstan’s bright young stars will be highlighted this Saturday, July 10 at Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In the main event, Kazakh southpaw dynamo Sultan Zaurbek will battle Scotland’s Ronnie Clark in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBO European junior lightweight title.
 
Zaurbek-Clark will headline a scheduled six-fight stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
 
Zaurbek (10-0, 7 KOs) went 6-0 in 2019 and fought only once in 2020, a one-sided decision over Ukraine’s Vladyslav Melnyk in December. He broke through in December 2019 when he won the WBC Youth 130-pound title with a fourth-round stoppage over China’s Leshan Li. Clark (21-4-2, 10 KOs) is a 10-year pro who has not lost since challenging Martin Ward for the British junior lightweight title in 2016. He last fought in February 2018, knocking down the previously undefeated Zelfa Barrett en route to a majority decision win. A variety of issues kept Clark out of the ring, but he returns with hopes of springing another upset. 
 
In the 10-round junior middleweight co-feature, 2019 World Championships bronze medalist Tursynbay Kulakhmet (3-0, 2 KOs) will continue his world title charge against Russian veteran Aleksei Evchenko (19-14-2, 8 KOs). Kulakhmet, a 27-year-old southpaw, turned pro last summer with a fourth-round knockout over former amateur star Sagadat Rakhmankul and won the WBC International title in his second pro fight. Evchenko, who is 1-1-1 in his last three bouts, has only been knocked out once in a 15-year pro career.
 
In other streaming action on ESPN+:

  • Lightweight Nurtas Azhbenov (11-0, 4 KOs), a 26-year-old southpaw from Kandyagash, Kazakhstan, will face former world title challenger Isa Chaniev (14-3, 6 KOs) in a 10-rounder. Chaniev is 1-1 since a second-round TKO loss to Richard Commey in 2019 for the vacant IBF lightweight world title.
     
  • In an eight-round welterweight battle, 2018 Youth Olympic Games silver medalist Talgat Shayken (4-0, 2 KOs) will fight durable Russian trial horse Alexander Sharonov (12-5-2, 6 KOs), who has never been stopped in the paid ranks.
     
  • Ivan Dychko (9-0, 9 KOs), who won Olympic super heavyweight bronze medals for Kazakhstan in both 2012 and 2016, will face 22-year pro Denis Bakhtov (39-18, 26 KOs) in a scheduled eight-rounder. Dychko recently spent time in camp with WBC and lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury.
     
  • Dauren Yeleussinov (8-1-1, 7 KOs) will look to bounce back from his first career loss against Arman Rysbek (7-1, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight tilt.

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Harris decisions Moreno

Jay Harris won a 12-round unanimous decision over Angel Moreno in a flyweight bout at The Vale Sports Arena in Cardiff, Wales.

Harris, who was cut over the left eye in round two, won by scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 117-111 ands is now 16-0. Moreno, 113.8 lbs of Madrid, Spain is 19-4.

Craig Evans gained his 2nd win over Stephen Ormand via 10-round unanimous decision in a lightweight bout.

Evans, 134.8 lbs of Wales won by scores of 98-92, 97-92 and 95-94 to raise his mark 20-2-1. Ormand of Ireland is 27-6.

Zhankosh Turarov stopped Richmond Djarbeng after round two of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

Turarov of Kazakhstan is 23-0 with 17 knockouts. Djarbeng of Accra, Ghana is 29-4-1.

Sultan Zaurbek remained undefeated by stopping Sergio Gonzalez in the eighth and final round of their lightweight bout.

In round four, Gonzalez was cut over the left eye.

In the final round, Zaurbek wobbled Gonzalez and the fight was stopped due to the cook.

Zaurbek, 132.6 lbs of Kazakhstan is 7-0 with five knockouts. Gonzalez, 132.6 lbs of Spain is 10-16-4.

Jacob Robinson remained undefeated with a six-round decision over Jose Aguilar in a featherweight bout.

Robinson is 7-0. Aguilar is 16-60-5.