Should be a moderately entertaining scrap between a pair of medium European level talents, fittingly competing for the vacant Euro title @ 168lbs. The younger Kosovo-Albanian based in Germany and thus serving as the "home" fighter, Krasniqi (a semi-distant relative, I believe 2nd cousin, of late 90's & aughts heavyweight contender Luan Krasniqi) started his career 1-2 but has since chugged along on a 46-3 run and has lost only to world titlists Arthur Abraham, Jürgen Brähmer, and Nathan Cleverly in the last dozen years. His opponent, a Ukrainian based in Russia, has only tasted defeat twice and both times by split decision - first against then-champion Károly Balzsay in a WBA super middleweight title bid in 2011 (a robbery IMO: https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...eslav-senchenko-vs-marco-avendano-rbr.338147/) and then against Felix Valera in 2015.
Best form vs. best form, I think Kashtanov is a clear level or two above Krasniqi. He's older and less active, however - and most recently struggled to a majority decision over a declined Sergey Khomitsky (who used to be a tough super-journeyman but just two days ago was knocked out by a novice)
As i wrote i think Kashtanov should be more skilled AND also heavier handed than Krasniqi but i don't know about 2 bouts in 30 months. This is simply a bit too much inactivity i think + home advantage for Krasniqi.
Kashtanov will probably do just enough to lose a fight he should have won clearly. By that most of us will have him winning 115-113 - 117-111 with a lot of close rounds but he'll sleepwalk through large portions of the fight and the local judges will likely give it to Krasniqi.
