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Philippines, 21 Feb 2026 |
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WBA Appeases MJ With Interim Title Fight; Gets to Retain Inoue as Regular Champion By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Tue, 29 Oct 2024  Looks like the WBA has dodged a court case it is likely to lose. The WBA has finally called for an interim title fight involving a disgruntled ex-titlist and long impatient mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev thereby appeasing the Uzbek and getting to retain Naoya Inoue as regular champion. It should have been done that months ago with Akhmadaliev twice rebuffed as Inoue's title opponent. First was when Australia's Sam Goodman, the IBF-WBO mandatory challenger, gained Inoue's nod as opponent in scheduled title defense last September. And second was when Goodman backed out for a later year crack and Irish ex-titlist TJ Doheny passed over MJ as replacement. The Akhmadaliev camp then threatened a lawsuit if the WBA does not strip Inoue of his title as the Japanese affirmed his commitment to defend against Goodman next. The fight has in fact been set for Christmas Eve in Japan. By way of escape route, the WBA again prevented a lawsuit it is likely to lose by finally ordering an interim title fight between Akmadaliev and Mexican Ricardo Franco Espinoza. Akhmadaliev (12-1, 9 KOs) faces Espinoza Franco (30-4, 25 KOs) for the WBA interim world super bantamweight title in the main event of a four bout card to take place on Dec 14, 2024 in Monte Carlo to steam live on DAZN. It remains to be seen if the WBA will elevate the winner to full champion status or if Inoue will defend against him in the projected fight in the US. The fight will be Akhmadaliev's first since December 2023, a comeback win after losing his unified belts to Filipino Marlon Tapales in an upset. Questions are raised as to the choice of Franco Espinoza as MJ's opponent as the Mexican lost his two previous major fights. He lost by last round knockout to Filipino Johnriel Casimero for the then WBO interim bantamweight championship in 2018 and by decision in a non title bout to American Danny Roman from whom Akhmadalev originally won his erstwhile unified WBA and IBF super bantamweight titles. Casimero has not fought for any WBA titles previously but many were expecting him to be named as Akhmadaliev's foe in the interim bout as he himself has been calling Inoue since their failed title unification back in 2020. Could his suspension by the Japan Boxing Commission affected his chance? The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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