Former IBF Super Featherweight Champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov Returns to Make Sampson Boxing Promotional Debut Against Justin Pauldo
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 10 Jan 2025
Saturday, February 8, at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, TX
January 9, 2025 – Former IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Shavkatdzhon “Shere Khan” Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KOs) will return to the ring and make his debut fighting under the Sampson Boxing promotional banner when he faces four-time PROBOX TV alumnae Justin “The Million Dollar Man” Pauldo (17-2, 8 KOs) of Houston, via Orlando, FL., in a 10-round lightweight special attraction on Saturday, February 8, at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, and streamed live on PROBOX TV.
Presented by Garry Jonas of Pro Box Promotions, Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, and Alvino Valles of Texas Boxers and Brawlers Promotions, the night of world class boxing will also feature WBA #2, WBO #19, and Ring Magazine #9-ranked super bantamweight and hometown hero Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (25-1, 14 KOs) of San Antonio taking on undefeated Bryan “Latino” Acosta (20-0, 8 KOs) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, in the 10-round main event; and power-punching former WBC Latino and WBO Latino Super Middleweight Champion Lester Martinez (18-0, 15 KOs) of Guatemala City, Guatemala, facing also undefeated Joeshon “Shontime” James (9-0-2, 5 KOs) of Sacramento in the 10-round super middleweight co-feature.
Rakhimov, originally of Bokhtar, Tajikistan, and now fighting out of Downey, California, won the IBF Super Featherweight Title with a spirited TKO 9 over Zelfa Barrett at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in November 2022. The 30-year-old southpaw will return to the ring in his first sanctioned appearance since losing his title in his first defense 22 months ago, via a close split decision to hometown challenger Joe Cordina of Cardiff, Wales, at the Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff.
“I am grateful to be returning to the ring for a new promotional company,” said Rakhimov. “My opponent a good, tough fighter, which deserves respect, but he is no match for me and my drive to return to the world championship.”
In his nine-year pro career, Rakhimov also fought to a majority 12-round draw with overweight then-IBF World Super Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz at Fantasy Springs Casino in February 2021 and held the IBF Junior Lightweight Championship from 2022 to 2023 and the IBO Super Featherweight Championship from 2017 to 2019.
“‘Shere Khan’ Rakhimov is back and looking to return to the top of the rankings where he belongs as soon as possible,” said new promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “We will put him in tough fights like these, which he needs to make a quick climb back to the top of the division for a world title challenge in the near future.”
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