Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs. Doudou Ngumbu - March 30, 2019

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBC and lineal light heavyweight champion Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk will make the first defense of his world title against Doudou Ngumbu on Saturday, March 30 at the 2300 Arena. In the 10-round co-feature, Gvozdyk’s stablemate, top welterweight contender Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, will take on Philadelphia native Ray Robinson.

Gvozdyk-Ngumbu and Kavaliauskas-Robinson will air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The undercard, including the IBF welterweight title eliminator between Kudratillo “The Punisher” Abdukakhorov and Keita Obara and an appearance by Philadelphia-born heavyweight prospect Sonny Conto (1-0, 1 KO), will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Peltz Boxing, tickets priced at $125, $75, and $50 go on sale Thursday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at 2300arena.com, the 2300 Arena box office at (267) 758-2173, or by calling Peltz Boxing at (215) 765-0922.

“It was a long journey for me to become a world champion, and I plan on showing everyone why I am the best light heavyweight in the world,” Gvozdyk said. “Ngumbu is a tough fighter who I cannot afford to overlook. My goal in 2019 is to unify with the other champions, but before I can do that, I have to take care of business on March 30.”

"It is a great opportunity to face arguably the best light heavyweight fighter in the world. After 12 years and 46 fights in my career with serious opposition, I get my first shot at a major world title,” Ngumbu said. "I have the utmost respect for Oleksandr Gvozdyk, a great champion who took the WBC title in a war against Adonis Stevenson. It is not going to be easy, but I believe I am much more experienced as a pro and I intend to use that to my advantage."

[Ruthless-RKO]

I’ve already heard some jokes that this guy has done doodoo to deserve a title shot.

But this is a voluntary. Gvozdyk only just won the belt.

Hopefully after this he will be matched with the better LHW’s.

All the best but Browne and Bivol are signed with ESPN anyway.
——
Ngumbu (38-8, 14 KOs) is coming off perhaps the most significant win of his career, a 12-round majority decision over then-unbeaten Yoann Kongolo in May of last year. A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo who is now based in France, Ngumbu will be making his first attempt at a world title.

[Cent0089]

Very bad match. But lets say it is acceptable after Gvozdyk went do Canada and stopped longtime champ before hometown crowd. And accpeting aftermath. What is more interesting in this fight are undercard fights.

http://boxrec.com/en/event/782615

Especially Kavaliauskas and Mbilli interested me because oponents are decent Hopefully other prospect will not fight against total trash

[oogiebe]

Considering the tragic state of his last opponent, I think Ngumbu is the perfect opponent. Not much of a threat and we can see how Gvozdyk reacts in the ring, since the tragedy against Stevenson. I remember after the horrible Paret fight, many believed that Griffith lost his killer instinct. I'm also glad his handlers didn't wait too long to get him matched up.

[jamamb]

doo doos actually a very solid veteran gatekeeper whose beaten a lot of euro scene guys and given good fights to pretty much all he faces, but defo a soft opponent for this level.

perfectly okay though as a first defense on a belt won like gvo won it

[iestynvenables]

Considering the tragic state of his last opponent, I think Ngumbu is the perfect opponent. Not much of a threat and we can see how Gvozdyk reacts in the ring, since the tragedy against Stevenson. I remember after the horrible Paret fight, many believed that Griffith lost his killer instinct. I'm also glad his handlers didn't wait too long to get him matched up.

that's such a good point, someone who he should beat and a test to see how he copes

[oogiebe]

Considering the tragic state of his last opponent, I think Ngumbu is the perfect opponent. Not much of a threat and we can see how Gvozdyk reacts in the ring, since the tragedy against Stevenson. I remember after the horrible Paret fight, many believed that Griffith lost his killer instinct. I'm also glad his handlers didn't wait too long to get him matched up.

that's such a good point, someone who he should beat and a test to see how he copes

Thanks. I try.

[Enlightened-One]

Apparently Doudou Ngumbu was unrated by the WBC, until he defeated Yoann Kongolo to capture the Francophone light heavyweight title last May. The past-his-prime French veteran journeyman has done absolutely nothing since.

To be honest, until this afternoon, I’d never heard of Doudou Ngumbu, Yoann Kongolo or the so-called Francophone light heavyweight title.

Prior to his victory over Yoann Kongolo, Doudou Ngumbu was comprehensively defeated by the equally anonymous Igor Mikhalkin (who himself received an absolute battering at the hands of a past-his-prime version of Sergey Kovalev).

Doudou Ngumbu’s record is poor. Really damn poor for a world title challenger!

I’m not against Oleksandr Gvozdyk benefitting from an easy confidence-building fight, but the WBC shouldn’t have sanctioned it as a world title contest (regardless of the Frenchman’s rankings).

I really can’t wait to receive abuse for having the sheer audacity to question the world title challenger credentials of a journeyman like Doudou Ngumbu! I

I’m fairly sure that someone is going to tell me that the current Francophone light heavyweight champion is one of the top dogs at 175lbs… and that we should all be highly-excited about the prospect of seeing Gvozdyk defend his WBC and lineal titles against Ngumbu!

[jamamb]

any abuse so far?

tbh i think most ppl know ngumbus a weak challenger, not something id expect abuse over

[Ruthless-RKO]

any abuse so far?

tbh i think most ppl know ngumbus a weak challenger, not something id expect abuse over

I just hope he fights a real test after this. Unify or a top contender at least.

[dagilechia]

Terrible match-up. Ngumbu is a gatekeeper and a good tester but he shouldn't fight for the world title. It makes the world titles look silly (and in fact, all those belts are silly and i care less and less about them).

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anyone gonna bother tuning in to this?

[SenorPipino]

Gvozdyk is a 100-1 favorite, so I suppose you could say that the result is already etched in stone.

[oogiebe]

A fight is being aired? I'll be watching. Anyone know if Conto is being aired??

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Keita Obara absorbed a lot of punches Saturday night.

By the time his 12-round welterweight fight against Kudratillo Abdukakhorov ended, no one inside 2300 Arena reasonably could’ve questioned Obara’s toughness. There was little doubt about who won their fight, either.

Uzbekistan’s Abdukakhorov hurt Obara numerous times to his head and body, and comfortably beat him. Obara often fired back hard shots of his own, just when it looked like Abdukakhorov would knock him out, but he clearly lost.

All three judges still scored their fight for Abdukakhorov on the non-televised portion of the Oleksandr Gvozdyk-Doudou Ngumbu undercard.

Julie Lederman scored 10 rounds for Abdukakhorov (118-110). Kevin Morgan gave him nine rounds (117-111) and Ron McNair had it closer (115-113).

Abdukakhorov, 25, moved to 16-0. Tokyo’s Obara, 32, lost for the second time in his past three fights (20-4-1, 18 KOs).

In the first fight on the 11-bout card, heavyweight prospect Cassius Chaney knocked down Christian Mariscal twice in the first round and stopped him 2:16 into their scheduled six-rounder.

A right hand by Chaney knocked Mariscal into the ropes and then to the canvas about 1:10 into their fight. The 5-feet-10, 248½-pound Mariscal made it to his feet, but Chaney continued hitting him with hard shots.

Another right hand by Chaney sent Mariscal to the canvas again. Mariscal managed to make it to his feet a second time, but referee Gary Rosato decided a discombobulated Mariscal shouldn’t continue.

The 31-year-old Chaney, of New London, Connecticut, improved to 15-0 and produced his ninth knockout. The 38-year-old Mariscal, of Tijuana, Mexico, slipped to 12-3 (5 KOs).

[Ruthless-RKO]

I just noticed the UFC card is also in Philly tonight.

[skanksta]

Anyone gonna bother tuning in to this?

Yes.
Best fight on BN for ages.

[brilo33]

i guess it is a get him fight ready , though doudou has lost to a lot they were all to solid opponets, so cant be to relaxed ,

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gvozdyk said he ain’t gonna let this be a boring fight.

[skanksta]

A lot of fighters lose a bit of their finishing instinct after what Gvodz has been thru'.
Even if only for a fight or two.
Let's see how it affects him..

[bmilligan]

OG will win, but as others have said.,,,

We will have to see how he will come back from the Stevenson fight.

[skanksta]

Egidjus starting to get to "The Real" Ray Robinson - who looks spindly and buzzed every time he's caught clean.

[brilo33]

Egidjus starting to get to "The Real" Ray Robinson - who looks spindly and buzzed every time he's caught clean.

yea i think Egidjus is winning