Pavel Antonovich "MEX Style" Sosulin

Very good fighter off to an impressive 2025 so far. He demolished Filipino banger Caraloo Gella "Brown Sugar" Bacaro with body shots on the Khuseyn Uvaysovich Baysangurov vs. Leonardo José Sánchez Gamboa card, then fought a thriller against Magomed Ramazanovich "Black Lion" Kurbanov in a marquee fight earlier today. Judges' scorecards were 116-112 either way and 115-113 for Sosulin, giving him a SD, but really he won about 8 or 9 rounds clearly.

His kayo rate is only 50%... six in twelve pro bouts, or seven in fourteen if you count his pair of IBA Pro matches from last year - but he's a very sharp counter puncher with a high workrate and more than respectable pop. He was a more than decent amateur, but fell against the creme de la creme (ie Khyzhniak). He's only 28, room to grow. Problem for anybody in the 154 and 160lb divisions.

 

So, it turns out Kurbanov vs. Sosulin was a WBA super welterweight eliminator. Kurbanov was ranked #3 and Sosulin number 10 heading in.

Terence Crawford is the champion but will presumably vacate to move up to super middleweight for his September challenge of Canelo. That would leave Yoenis "El Bandolero" Téllez Silega to be plausibly elevated from interim to full champ.

I wouldn't love Sosulin's chances against the Nebraskan, but Téllez? Or anybody else in the WBA top five (eg Baraou, Ramos, Agyark) ...giddy-up!