Bakhram Murtazaliev’s search for his next opponent has led to the most obvious choice.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the IBF has formally ordered its unbeaten junior middleweight titlist to next face top-rated contender Erickson Lubin. Both parties were notified on Monday by the sanctioning bodies to immediately enter negotiations for the overdue mandatory title fight.
A ruling obtained by BoxingScene has called for a 15-day negotiation, in which a deal must be reached by August 4 to avoid a purse bid hearing.
Russia’s Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs) is promoted by Main Events and managed by Egis Klimas. Lubin, 27-2 (19 KOs) is represented in talks by Julian Levitt of ProBox TV. The former title challenger from the greater Orlando, Florida area previously fought under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner since its 2015 inception.
Murtazaliev, 32, won the IBF title in an eleventh-round knockout of Germany’s Jack Culcay last April 6 on the road in Falkansee, Germany. He then obliterated former WBO titlist Tim Tszyu inside of three rounds in his first title defense last October 19 in Orlando.
The career-best win marks the last time Murtazaliev fought. His inactive period was marred by failed efforts to secure showdowns with any of his divisional peers – aside from the one junior middleweight who was always willing to face him.
Lubin, 29, became the mandatory challenger after an 11th round knockout of unbeaten Ardreal Holmes Jnr on May 10 in his Kissimmee hometown. The win was the third straight following a ninth-round stoppage defeat to Sebastian Fundora in their April 2022 slugfest.
Included in his current run was a twelve-round decision win over then-undefeated Jesus Ramos Jnr in a September 2023 WBA title eliminator. The fact that a title shot did not immediately follow was of no surprise to Lubin, who experienced a similar fate during a previous six-fight win streak that included three separate WBC title eliminators.
The lone major title fight for Lubin resulted in a first-round knockout defeat to Jermell Charlo in their October 2017 clash for Charlo’s WBC 154lbs title.
Muratazaliev’s wait for his first major title fight traveled a different path. He was the top contender for the IBF 154lbs title since a November 2019 points win over Jorge Fortea. His team accepted four consecutive fights on PBC undercards while Charlo was permitted to pursue unification bouts that led to his becoming undisputed champion in 2022.
The IBF intervened in 2023, after Charlo’s failed attempt to dethrone undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Charlo instead abdicated his 154lbs throne, which paved the way for Murtazaliev to compete for, and claim, the IBF belt.
Neither Muratazliev nor Lubin can enter another fight during the ordered period, per sanctioning body rules. The exception would be if both came to an agreement that was additionally honored by the IBF.
