Dmitry Salita has retained the promotional rights to determine the next mandatory challenger to the IBF super middleweight title.
The former title contender and current promoter was the highest bidder for the IBF-ordered title eliminator between unbeaten contenders Evgeny Shvedenko and Vladimir Shishkin. Salita Promotions—Shishkin’s promoter—submitted a bid of $355,000 during a purse bid hearing conducted Tuesday afternoon from IBF headquarters in Springfield, New Jersey.
Fächer Sport Management GmbH, Shvendenko’s promoter was the lone other bidder during the session, offering $277,308 for the fight.
Per the purse bid terms, Salita Promotions is required to file contracts confirming the fight date and location. The bout must take place within the next 90 days, though BoxingScene.com has learned that an August date is being targeted for the title eliminator.
Shvedennko (15-0, 6KOs) is entitled to the favorable end of a 60/40 split—$213,000—as the highest ranked available contender in the current IBF super middleweight rankings. The unbeaten Russian—who now fights out of Karlsruhe, Germany—is ranked number-three by the sanctioning body, while Shishkin (12-0, 7KOs)—who will earn $142,000 for the fight—is ranked number-eight.
Despite his promoter losing Tuesday’s purse bid, Shvedenko still walks away with a higher payday than would have been the case for the previously ordered fight. He was previously due to face Kazakhstan’s Aidos Yerbossynuly, with Fächer Sport winning a purse bid held February 25 with a $301,588 bid. The fight was due to take place April 17 in Karlsruhe, with Shevedenko to have earned $182,752.80. The event was canceled after Yerbossynuly tested positive for COVID, prompting the IBF to run down the list of its contenders to find the next highest rated available opponent for Shvedenko.
That search led to Shishkin accepting the fight, coming on the heels of a dominant 10-round win over Sena Agbeko this past February in Uncasville, Connecticut. The Detroit-based Russian was immediately on board with the proposed fight, which was first ordered by the IBF on May 11. The two sides attempted to reach a deal, only for the imposed deadline to approach which prompted the purse bid hearing.
Shevedenko has fought predominantly in Germany and Russia throughout his six-year pro career. The 31-year-old contender last fought in a 10-round unanimous decision win over Artur Osipov on December 21 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
The winner of the ordered fight will be next in line for the IBF super middleweight title currently held by Caleb Plant (21-0, 12KOs). The wait in line could be a lengthy one; Plant recently satisfied his second consecutive IBF mandatory in a 12-round shutout of former champ Caleb Truax this past January. The Ashland City, Tennessee native—now based out of Las Vegas—is currently in talks with unified WBC/WBA/WBO champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez (56-1-2, 38KOs) for an undisputed championship showdown eyed for September.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox