Kevin Johnson may become Murat Gassiev's first opponent in the heavyweights

Murat Gassiev
Murat Gassiev

On October 31 in Sochi, Russia, the former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev (26-1, 19 KOs) will finally make his debut in the heavyweight division. The 26-year-old Russian will face the experienced Kevin Johnson (35-17-1, 19 KOs).

For Gassiev, the October match will be his first performance after the defeat in the final of the WBSS tournament to Oleksandr Usyk in July 2018. Murat's return was postponed several times due to the traumas that followed him.

Kevin Johnson, in his last fight, knocked out the former cruiserweight champion Joan Pablo Hernandez of Cuba on August 22 in Germany, who was returning to the ring after a six-year layoff.