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Unbeaten Vladimir Shishkin is preparing for the biggest fight of his career, when he faces former world champion José Uzcategui in an IBF super middleweight title eliminator.
The contest will be featured as part of a Showtime televised tripleheader, headlined by a lightweight clash between Michel “La Zarza Ali” Rivera and Frank “The Ghost” Martin.
Shishkin-Uzcategui takes place on December 17 at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
Uzcategui (32-4, 27 KOs) captured a 168-pound world title in March of 2018 by stopping veteran contender Andre Dirrell after eight rounds. Since losing the title to unbeaten champion Caleb Plant in January 2019, Uzcategui has rebounded to win four of his last five fights, including most recently knocking out Felipe Romero in May.
“I am thrilled to be returning to fight on Showtime on December 17,” said Uzcategui. “That is where I won my world title and I can’t wait to put on another great performance. I am looking at this fight against Shishkin as my chance to reclaim my belt. I’m leaving it all in the ring in this fight. It’s all or nothing for me once I step between the ropes.”
Under the guidance of the renowned SugarHill Steward, Shishkin (13-0, 8 KOs) is a Russian native who turned pro in 2016 following a prolific amateur career. The 31-year-old stopped veteran contender Nadjib Mohammedi in October 2018 before putting together his most recent five victories in stateside bouts.
“This is an incredible opportunity for me to get closer to my ultimate dream of becoming world champion,” said Shishkin. “My opponent is a strong former champion with a proven record and an excellent skill set. However, me and my team are doing everything we can to be 100% on December 17. I believe that I’m facing a great opponent who will allow me to showcase my style of fighting.”