Former welterweight world titlist Luis Collazo and Kudratillo Abdukakhorov will meet in a 10-round bout in the co-feature of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Oct. 18, Top Rank announced on Tuesday.
The fight will be part of the card headlined by the Oleksandr Gvozdyk-Artur Beterbiev light heavyweight world title unification in Philadelphia at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET with preliminary bouts streaming on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET).
Collazo (39-7, 20 KOs), 38, of Brooklyn, New York, was slated to face former title world challenger Jose Benavidez Jr. on Aug. 17, but Benavidez suffered a leg injury and pulled out and was not going to be ready for the bout to be rescheduled for Oct. 18.
“I’m just ready to go. The Jose Benavidez Jr. fight didn’t happen because he was hurt or whatever, but trust me, you are going to see an incredible performance that will steal the show on Oct. 18,” Collazo said. “I’m coming for everything. It’s now or never. I can’t wait to show out in the great city of Philadelphia.”
Collazo has won three fights in a row since being stopped by Keith Thurman challenging for his world title in 2015. Collazo has been largely inactive since then in part because of injuries but he is coming off of a decision win over Samuel Vargas in March. This will be the first year Collazo has boxed twice since 2015.
Abdukakhorov (16-0, 9 KOs), 26, an Uzbekistan native fighting out of Malaysia, had his last fight March 30 on a Top Rank card, also in Philadelphia on a Gvozdyk undercard, and won a unanimous decision over Keita Obara in a title elimination fight to push him closer to a mandatory shot against titlist Errol Spence Jr.
But with that fight unlikely to happen any time soon, Abdukakhorov accepted the fight with Collazo and is risking his mandatory position.
“I am looking forward to showcasing my talent to the world,” Abdukakhorov said. “This will be a great fight, as Luis Collazo is someone who comes and gives 100 percent every fight and his aggressive style is adored by many fans. He has the heart of a true warrior. I do believe his age will be a factor, and I will try to capitalize on it. I am coming to this fight with every intention of beating him to cement my status as the mandatory for the IBF world title.”
A second world title bout could also be added to the card if the deal can be finalized. It would match Russia natives Radzhab Butaev (12-0, 9 KOs), 25, who fights out of Brooklyn, New York, and Alexander Besputin (13-0, 9 KOs), 28, who fights out of Oxnard, California, for a vacant secondary welterweight title.
Top Rank also announced the remainder of the undercard:
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Light heavyweight contender Michael Seals (23-2, 17 KOs), 37, of Mobile, Alabama, will fight Elio Trosch (14-8-2, 7 KOs), 30, of Argentina, in a 10-rounder.
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Lightweight Joseph Adorno (13-0, 11 KOs), 20, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, will face Damian Sosa (9-2, 7 KOs), 29, of Argentina, in an eight-rounder. Nine of Adorno’s knockouts have come inside two rounds while Sosa has never been knocked out.
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Philadelphia heavyweight Sonny Conto (4-0, 3 KOs), 23, who has sparred with lineal champion Tyson Fury and top contender Kubrat Pulev, will fight in his hometown in a four-rounder against Steven Lyons (5-5, 2 KOs), 30, of Larose, Louisiana.
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Junior welterweight Josue Vargas (14-1, 9 KOs), 21, of Bronx, New York, will go for a ninth win in a row, against Johnny Rodriguez (9-4-1, 6 KOs), 38, of Dumas, Texas, in an eight-rounder.
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Junior featherweight Jeremy Adorno (2-0, 1 KO), 18, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, will face Misael Reyes (1-2, 0 KOs), 25, of Kansas City, Kansas, in a four-rounder.
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Junior welterweight John Bauza (13-0, 5 KOs), 21, of North Bergen, New Jersey, will fight the upset-minded veteran Donald Ward (11-11-1, 5 KOs), 30, of Memphis, in an eight-rounder.
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Junior welterweight Julian Rodriguez (17-0, 11 KOs), 24, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, who returned from a nearly two-year layoff with a first-round knockout on July 13, will face Leonardo Doronio (17-16-3, 11 KOs), 30, of the Philippines, in an eight-round bout.