Andrei Mikhailovich will return to the ring for a bout against Denis Radovan in December. Photo / Dean Purcell
Andrei Mikhailovich will return to the ring for a bout against Denis Radovan in December. Photo / Dean Purcell
Power, aggression, and “serious nastiness”.
That’s what Isaac Peach believes will give Andrei Mikhailovich the edge as he looks to move one step closer to fighting for a world title.
The Peach Boxing coach and his fighter will head to Sunderland in the northeast of England on December 16 for a meeting with Denis Radovan; the winner earning a mandatory challenge of unified middleweight world champion Janibek Alimkhanuly’s throne.
The bout sees the two top fighters in the IBF world rankings outside of the reigning champion square off, both putting their undefeated records on the line for a shot to fight for the top prize in the sport.
It’s an intriguing match-up, but Peach believes his fighter holds all the tools needed to capitalise on the opportunity.
“I love the fight. Stylistically, it’s great for Andrei too. We’ll go over there and we’re going to knock him out,” Peach said.
“I think he’s very basic. I don’t think he’s got a lot of X-factor. He’s German and the Germans are very good fighters, but they’re very standard fighters. Andrei has X-factor; Andrei has knockout power and stuff that Radovan doesn’t possess.”
Mikhailovich, 25, has been impressive in his rise through the rankings, showing he can find the shot to put opponents away as well as outbox them on his way to a 20-0 record.
It has been the former that has served him well most recently, with six of his last seven fights ending inside the distance.
Andrei Mikhailovich beat Edisson Saltarin via fifth-round stoppage in his most recent bout. Photo / Photosport
Radovan has eight stoppages in his 17 wins, with a draw in 2018 being the only blip on his record. Since that bout, Radovan has reeled off six wins in a row, three of which have come inside the distance.
The opportunity to earn himself a shot at the world title is a challenge Mikhailovich is taking in his stride, and he said he was approaching it as he would any other fight.
“He’s a good fighter, but I’m a once-in-a-lifetime fighter. It’s just another guy on my record, another body for me to catch. Isaac does all of the looking at the opponent for me, and I just do the fighting,” Mikhailovich said.
“I believe my power is a big thing, but if you’ve got the rockets with no rocket launcher, you’re kind of f***ed,” Mikhailovich said. “I’m making sure I’m in the gym and training all the time, staying consistent and staying on top of my game.”
It’s a bout that has been in the works for some time. However, it was only confirmed this week after the parties finally reached an agreement.
The wait for the fight to be announced has allowed Mikhailovich’s team plenty of time to watch footage of Radovan and formulate a plan.
While a massive opportunity in the context of his career progression towards the title, the bout also provides an opportunity for Mikhailovich to break out on to the world scene with the UK a major market for the sport. Peach said it was an opportunity the team were looking forward to taking advantage of.
“It’s one of the biggest markets, if not the biggest market, in the world, and it’s one fight off the world title. The guy we’ll fight for the world title when we win this fight is potentially pound-for-pound, in my eyes, the best fighter in the world. So, it’s massive. It doesn’t get bigger.”
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
