Beibut Shumenov

[Charles Martel]

Today, age 24 Beibut Shumenov (5-0, 5 KO) takes a big step up.

He fights African-American Montell Griffin (49-7). Griffin has two career wins over James Toney and one over Roy Jones. At age 38 Griffin is in great shape - he last fought on June 20, completely dominating an age 28, 16-2 fighter. He's only ever lost to very good opponents.

Griffin is ranked by BoxRec 22nd at light heavyweight. He is no doubt past his best, but he's still a very good test for Shumenov's in only his 6th pro fight.

We may have a future contender at light heavyweight in Shumenov - today's fight will tell us more about him.Edited by: JD1986

 

[Charles Martel]

Shumenov won by dominant UD, scores were 120-108, 120-107 and 120-108.

Check this out - BoxRec computerized ratings have Shumenov as the 18th best light heavyweight, despite his having only six pro fights:

Beibut ShumenovEdited by: JD1986

 

[JD074]

Very impressive. I can't wait to see some video of this guy.

 

[whiteathlete33]

This guy looks totally Asian to me.

 

[Sean]

I'm definately glad Shumenov won, and he does appear to be possibly the best prospect in boxing.

But, for anyone who hasn't seen him, he does appear to have quite a bit of Asian in him. While I wouldn't cheer for him against, say, an Erdei, Diaconu etc, I would like to see him meet with success against every black opponent he faces.

 

[Charles Martel]

He's definitely Asian, not white. With a Russian name like Shumenov, and because he's from a former Soviet Republic, I was expecting him to be more like Chagaev or Baysangurov in appearance.

I'd never seen him before you posted that photo, although I've been seeing his name come up on the various boxing forums.

 

[whiteathlete33]

At least another brotha bit the dust.

 

[Sean]

Well it's like I said, and like whiteathlete33 said above, at least he beat Griffin. I'd like to see him continue to beat the black fighters he faces, but if he fights a white fighter, I will, of course, be for the white fighter.

 

[Amren.com]

I didn't know there were any Asian boxers above 150 pounds!

 

[aussieaussie31]

Amren said "I didn't know there were any Asian boxers above 150 pounds"!

There are when you throw in a little Russian blood into the mix.

 

[cjay]

pure mongoloid types in mongolia, northern china, manchuria and siberia can be fairly big and strong. most "asians" are a racial mix of mongoloids and indigenous austronesian peoples, who are very slightly built, like pygmies almost.

 

[Blue Devils]

He fights the former IBF Cruiserweight champion Kelvin Davis in Washington this Saturday.

Interview [url]http://www.15rounds.com/qa-beibut-shumenov-%E2%80%9Ci-am-goi ng-to-fight-for-the-world-title-next-year%E2%80%9D-120308/ [/url]

 

[Blue Devils]

Change of opponent he now fights Mendoza. Mendoza if you remember lost a close decision to Jeff Lacy and even came close to knocking him out. For a guy with only 6 fights Shumenov is fighting some tough competition.

 

[Liverlips]

He is definitely a Eurasian. Most people of Kazhakstan look like Beibut, not Borat.

Having siad that, there is a large Russian community there and there were (maybe still are) some Russian military bases.

Oleg Maskaev is full-blooded Russian but was born in Kazhakstan (probably in a Russian military base).

 

[Charles Martel]

In his 7th pro fight, Shumenov won a wide decision.

His opponent, the tough Epifano Mendoza, fought Jeff Lacy and lost by a controversial MD in his last fight.

 

[JD074]

Three rounds of his fight against Griffin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P6Jr2-HdNI

 

[Blue Devils]

Three rounds of his fight against Griffin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P6Jr2-HdNI

Thanks for the vid

 

[JD074]

Here's the entire Shumenov-Griffin fight:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=dinamo1978&view=videos

Reminds me of Froch a little bit.

 

[Maple Leaf]

For a fighter to take on opponents like he has after so few pro fights and be 7-0 it tells me something about his amateur background. We said the same things when Povetkin raced to contention. He is a product of the amateur system the soviets had built. Probably some of his coaches were top level Soviet competitors a couple of decades ago. He is another example of how boxing is changing and the dominance has shifted to the east in the big weights and south in the small weights.Edited by: Maple Leaf

 

[Blue Devils]

Shumenov has a big fight this weekend against former title challenger Alejandro Berrio 28-5(27).

 

[Charles Martel]

It was announced today that Beibut Shumenov (8-0) will fight the current WBA titleholder Gabriel Campillo, a negro, for the WBA light heavyweight title.

I'll be rooting for the man from Kazakhstan!

 

[whiteathlete33]

Great news!! I will be rooting for Shumenov as well.

 

[Charles Martel]

I've been seeing more photos of Shumenov, and I see Beibut like most Kazakhs, has both Asiatic and Caucasian characteristics (like someone mentioned above, he's "Eurasian").

Anyway he will make history today if he wins, becoming the fastest ever to a light heavyweight world title in only his 9th pro fight.

 

[whiteathlete33]

Will their be a stream?

 

[Charles Martel]

Will their be a stream?

I haven't found one yet.