In a showdown of undefeated light heavyweights, Ali Izmailov (10-0, 7 KOs), ranked in the top 10 by several organizations, will face his most formidable opponent yet in Charles Foster (22-0, 12 KOs), a former standout amateur with a stellar record. The 10-round bout will headline SHOBOX: The New Generation, live from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y., on Friday, June 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. The event is part of the Hall of Fame Weekend festivities, which will take place from June 8-11.
The action-packed tripleheader will also feature two more clashes of unbeaten prospects: Richard Vansiclen (13-0-1, 6 KOs), a college graduate from Seattle, Wash., will take on hard-hitting Colombian Juan Carrillo (10-0, 8 KOs) in a 10-round light heavyweight contest; and Mykquan Williams (19-0-1, 8 KOs), a former SHOBOX main-event winner and rising super lightweight star, will battle Ryan Martin (25-2, 15 KOs), a veteran with plenty of experience, in a 10-rounder.
Izmailov, who is ranked seventh by the IBF and eighth by the WBO, is one of the rising stars in the light heavyweight division. He has a record of 10 wins and no losses, and trains with John David Jackson, a renowned coach. Izmailov has faced tough opponents since he turned pro, including Dmitry Sukhotskiy, a veteran of 30 fights, and Sergei Ekimov, who had only one loss before meeting him. Izmailov made his debut in the U.S. in October 2021, and has won five fights in a row, four by knockout. His last fight was in March, when he stopped Marcelo Ruben Molina in the first round. Before that, he beat two undefeated fighters, Eric Murguia and Bo Gibbs Jr. Izmailov was born in Malgobek, Russia, but now lives in Detroit when he is not training in Florida with Jackson.
“I am ready to face the best fighters in the world and show them what I can do,” Izmailov said. “I am working hard with my coach John David Jackson in Florida and I will put on a great show on June 9.”
Foster, a southpaw from New Haven, Conn., is a former SHOBOX fighter who has won his last three fights by knockout. His most recent victory was in December, when he traveled to the Dominican Republic and knocked out Rafael Fernandez Sosa in the sixth round. Before that, he fought on Hall of Fame Weekend last year and defeated Bo Gibbs Jr. by fourth-round TKO in Verona. In May of 2018, he appeared on SHOBOX at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and outboxed Alvin Varmall Jr., who was unbeaten at the time, to earn a unanimous decision. Foster is a four-time Connecticut Golden Glove champion and a National PAL silver medalist. He is known for his power and skills, and is promoted by Lou DiBella and Murphys Boxing, the company founded by Ken Casey of the famous rock band Dropkick Murphys.
Tickets are available now at the Turning Stone Box Office or online at Ticketmaster.