Philippines, 16 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Former IBF Super Featherweight Champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov Returns to Make Sampson Boxing Promotional Debut Against Justin Pauldo

PhilBoxing.com





Saturday, February 8, at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, TX

January 9, 2025 – Former IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Shavkatdzhon “Shere Khan” Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KOs) will return to the ring and make his debut fighting under the Sampson Boxing promotional banner when he faces four-time PROBOX TV alumnae Justin “The Million Dollar Man” Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs) of Houston, via Orlando, FL., in a 10-round lightweight special attraction on Saturday, February 8, at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, and streamed live on PROBOX TV.

Presented by Garry Jonas of Pro Box Promotions, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, and Alvino Valles of Texas Boxers and Brawlers Promotions, the night of world class boxing will also feature WBA #2, WBO #19, and Ring Magazine #9-ranked super bantamweight and hometown hero Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (25-1, 14 KOs) of San Antonio taking on undefeated Bryan “Latino” Acosta (20-0, 8 KOs) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, in the 10-round main event; and power-punching former WBC Latino and WBO Latino Super Middleweight Champion Lester Martinez (18-0, 15 KOs) of Guatemala City, Guatemala, facing also undefeated Joeshon “Shontime” James (9-0-2, 5 KOs) of Sacramento in the 10-round super middleweight co-feature.

Rakhimov, originally of Bokhtar, Tajikistan, and now fighting out of Downey, California, won the IBF Super Featherweight Title with a spirited TKO 9 over Zelfa Barrett at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in November 2022. The 30-year-old southpaw will return to the ring in his first sanctioned appearance since losing his title in his first defense 22 months ago, via a close split decision to hometown challenger Joe Cordina of Cardiff, Wales, at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff.

“I am grateful to be returning to the ring for a new promotional company,” said Rakhimov. “My opponent a good, tough fighter, which deserves respect, but he is no match for me and my drive to return to the world championship.”

In his nine-year pro career, Rakhimov also fought to a majority 12-round draw with overweight then-IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz at Fantasy Springs Casino in February 2021 and held the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship from 2022 to 2023 and the IBO Super Featherweight Championship from 2017 to 2019.

“‘Shere Khan’ Rakhimov is back and looking to return to the top of the rankings where he belongs as soon as possible,” said new promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “We will put him in tough fights like these, which he needs to make a quick climb back to the top of the division for a world title challenge in the near future.”




Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Smarts over power
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
    By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • 21-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
    By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
    , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Crawford to defy odds?
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
    , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BOOTS TALKS SPARRING WITH CANELO IN ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’
    , Sat, 13 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.