RCC Boxing announced via Instagram that IBF no. 6 lightweight Zaur Abdullaev will meet no. 11 Juan Javier Carrasco in a September 6th eliminator in Chelyabinsk.
Best as I can tell, this is not technically a “final” eliminator, as William Zepeda holds the top spot with all four sanctioning bodies. They’ll be duking it out for the vacant no. 2 slot, which should translate to the top spot when and if Zepeda cashes in his mandatory shot with one of the other sanctioning bodies.
Though perhaps best known for being the last man Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KO) stopped before his current nine-fight knockout drought, Abdullaev (19-1, 11 KO) has snuck his way back up the ladder with a number of solid second-tier victories. He’ll enter the ring on the heels of eight straight wins over the likes of Dejan Zlaticanin, Jorge Linares, Jovanni Straffon, and most recently Roger Gutierrez.
Argentina’s Carrasco (20-1, 12 KO), winner of 15 straight since a 2017 loss to journeyman Miguel German Acosta, will be making his first appearance on foreign soil. He’s yet to take out a big name, but I think we all know better than to brush off unheralded Argentineans at this point