Murat Gassiev vs Tony Yoka is now set for July 11 in Moscow, with the former cruiserweight world champion defending his WBA ‘Regular’ heavyweight title after Tony Yoka’s planned clash with Lawrence Okolie fell apart earlier this year.
The fight is expected to headline the next IBA Pro event at the VTB Arena. It will be Gassiev’s first defence since stopping Kubrat Pulev to win the belt in December.
For Yoka, it is another chance to push himself back into the heavyweight mix after a frustrating spell outside the top level. The Olympic gold medallist had been due to face Okolie in Paris before that event was cancelled following Okolie’s adverse VADA finding.
That collapse left Yoka in a difficult spot. Instead of facing Okolie, he now steps in with another former cruiserweight champion who arguably punches harder and carries more momentum.
Gassiev enters the fight with a 33-2 record and 26 knockouts. His stoppage win over Pulev gave him fresh relevance at heavyweight after several uneven years in the division.
Yoka has won four straight fights since losses to Martin Bakole, Carlos Takam and Ryad Merhy damaged his early momentum. Still, this looks like a serious step up compared to the opponents he has recently faced.
Murat Gassiev vs Tony Yoka is not the biggest heavyweight fight on paper, but it matters for both men. Yoka needs a result that puts him back near world-level contention, while Gassiev cannot afford to lose ground if he still wants a shot at the division’s leading names.