WBA heavyweight champion v (33-2, 26 KOs) will face Peter Kadiru (23-1, 13 KOs) on July 11 at VTB Arena in Moscow, as Kadiru gets his first world title opportunity after replacing the injured Tony Yoka.
Gassiev won the WBA title in December, stopping Kubrat Pulev in the sixth round, and will now make his first defense against an opponent unranked by all four major sanctioning bodies. Gassiev built his reputation as one of the top cruiserweights in the world, beating Denis Lebedev, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk and Yuniel Dorticos before losing to Oleksandr Usyk in their 2018 undisputed championship fight.
Gassiev’s heavyweight run has been shakier by comparison — a split-decision loss to Otto Wallin in 2023 stands as his only real test, while wins over Kem Ljungquist, Jeremiah Milton and a 44-year-old Pulev were enough to land him the belt.
“I was fully prepared and ready for Tony Yoka, but boxing is unpredictable, and champions must adapt. Peter Kadiru is a big, strong, experienced fighter with a solid amateur pedigree and real power. Fighting at home in Moscow in front of my Russian fans for my first defense is special. I will be ready on July 11, and I intend to keep the WBA World Heavyweight Title in Russia,” Gassiev
Kadiru arrives on a 10-fight win streak after outpointing Senad Gashi in May, though the Hamburg native has never beaten a world-level heavyweight and has never cracked the top 15 in the WBA, WBC, IBF or WBO rankings.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to travel to Russia and challenge for the WBA Heavyweight World Title on July 11. This is my moment. My team and I are locked in, and Moscow should get ready for a big performance,” Kadiru