Salita Promotions has won the purse bid to stage an IBF super middleweight elimination fight between two unbeaten contenders, Detroit-based Russian Vladimir Shishkin and Germany-based Russian Evgeny Shvedenko. The winner will be in line to face the winner of the expected unification fight between IBF Champion Caleb Plant and WBC/WBO/WBA champ Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, expected to happen in September. The purse bid, held today on June 15th at the IBF offices in New Jersey, was won by Salita with a bid of $355,000, which eclipsed the bid by Farcher Sport who bid  $277,308. The purse bid split will be 60% for Shvedenko and 40% for Shishkin. While no venue or specific date have been hammered down, the IBF further mandates that the fight must take place by Monday, September 13, 2021.

 

Salita, promoter of Shishkin, said, “winning this purse bid puts Vladimir one fight away from a world championship fight if he wins and, if Canelo wins against Plant, a unified super middleweight championship fight against one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best. But first he has to get past his countryman Shvedenko, whom he knows will not be an easy feat. This will be a very tough fight and we are honored to have won the right to promote it.”

 

In just 15 fights, the 29 year-old Shishkin, from Serpukhov, Russia, has wins over Gasan Gasanov and Sergey Khomitskiy. He was last seen in February of this year, scoring a dominating unanimous decision over then 23-1 Ghanaian Sena Agbeko. Shishkin stands 6’ 1” and is extremely strong. He boxes with power behind a world-class jab and has excellent defense.

 

“Vladimir Shishkin is the man to defeat Canelo Alvarez,” added Salita. “I said it while watching him work before I signed him. He has all the tools and experience you need. He’s already in camp with Tyson Fury and (trainer) Sugarhill getting ready for this big showdown because the whole team knows how much it means to win. And he will win.”