Camille Estephan, promoter for undefeated heavyweight puncher Arslanbek Makhmudov (11-0, 11 KOs), would like to match his dangerous fighter against another big banger in the division, Olympic silver medal winner and EBU champion Joe Joyce.
There is interest in go straight to a fight with Joyce in the coming months. Joyce is coming off the biggest win of his career, a stoppage of Daniel Dubois this past November.
Makhmudov was last seen in the ring in October, when he destroyed Dillon Carman in the first round.
“I think that he showed that he is in a league of his own and that he is ready for the top guys in his division. We have to go through the process to get him there because nobody wants to fight him right now. We would love Arslanbek to fight a champion but now they are all fighting each other. Joe Joyce is the one we want next,” Estephan told Sky Sports.
According to Estephan, the boxer is being lined up for a ring return in the month of March.
Makhmudov, 31-years-old, was a real force in the amateur ranks with wins over fighters like Mahammadrasul Majidov and Guido Vianello, who are both rising prospects in the heavyweight ranks.
Due to his advanched age, Estephan would like to fast-track the boxer to a world title fight sooner than later.
“He is training and he is in very good shape. He is ready to do everything he can to take those titles one day,” Estephan said.
“Arslanbek was the No 1 contender for the World Series of Boxing, and in that series he had a fight against Mihai Nistor, who was the last guy to knock out Anthony Joshua [as an amateur],” Estephan said.
“It was a very, very tough fight. He took a lot of punches from Nistor and then knocked him out with 10 seconds to go.”