Dec
30
Gradovich Wants To Test Out Weight Before Donaire
Filed Under EN
By Yuri Tarantin
Former IBF featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich (20-1-1, 9KOs) is not looking to rush himself into a proposed April fight with WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire.
Gradovich was looking to take a tuneup on Jesus Galicia on January 9th in Spain, but his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank recently stated on BoxingScene.com that Gradovich-Galicia was likely “not going to push through.”
He wants to have at least one fight to ensure that his body reacts well to the new division.
“I am very interested in this fight [with Donaire],” said Gradovich. “But at the same time it would be too hasty to hold it without even trying out the new weight. So I need some time to get down to the 122 pound division and settle there.”
The Russian fighter lost his featherweight title by way of a technical decision in May and then struggled to win an eight round split decision over fringe contender Aldimar Santos in October.
Donaire (36-3, 23 KOs) had a busy 2015 with a TKO win in two over William Prado in March, and then another two round knockout win over Anthony Settoul in July, and then he captured the vacant WBO championship with a very tough, grueling twelve round unanimous decision over Cesar Juarez on December 11th.
Gradovich and Donaire were one-time close stablemates under trainer Robert Garcia, but Donaire has recently switched to being solely trained by his father in recent fights.
Yuri Tarantin covers boxing for Allboxing.ru
Tags:
Evgeny Gradovich 
Nonito Donaire
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