Friday in Moscow. WBC super middleweight Silver title at stake, 1st defense of Silyagin. The ambidextrous incumbent champ and Russian home fighter is five years the younger man but giving up height and reach against the Malawi-South African. His biggest steps up and best victories to date have come against then unbeaten Uzbek prospect Azizbek Abdumuxtar Ogli "Triple A" Abdugofurov and once-feared Belarusian journeyman Sergey Khomitsky (his credentials in amateur and semi-pro boxing are far more impressive). Chilemba is a longtime contender who thus far has never held a major world title but challenged twice (and did hold the IBO).
Not sure about Silyagin's choice of nickname in "Stylish Assassin", since he a) only has four stoppages from his eight pro victories so far and b) is wearing ugly tracksuits in every pic of him I can find outside the context of fighting or training, but... oh well.
Silyagin is going to paddle his ass, Chilemba will barely win a round, and I rate Chilemba quite highly. But Pavel if probably one of the most underrated guys in the sport currently. Pavel Silyagin: Novosibirsk Dismantler-The Super Middleweight Stylish Assassin Of Novokuznetsk.
Going down to 168 Chilema already beat Chudinov (who is undeserved after that fight #8 in boxrec).Risky fight for someone who has turned pro only 20 months ago.
