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Andrei Mikhailovich’s world title eliminator postponed until 2024
Clay Wilson

Frustrating news for leading New Zealand boxer Andrei Mikhailovich.

The Peach Boxing middleweight’s IBF world title eliminator in England later this month has been postponed after German opponent Denis Radovan picked up an injury.

The bout due to take place in Sunderland on December 17 (NZ time) will now be pushed back until a to-be-confirmed date early next year.

Mikhailovich revealed the news on social media on Monday morning.

“My opponent got injured training, so I will be no longer travelling to England.

“I know a lot of people have messaged me and asked what’s happening and wished me well. I appreciate the messages, in truth I just needed a week to think about this and that.

“There’s a lot of things I could say right now about this year, but sometimes less is more.

Mikhailovich has had just one fight in 2023 - taking his perfect professional record to 20-0 with a fifth-round stoppage of Venezuelan Edisson Saltarin in April.

The 25-year-old then had to wait six months as prolonged negotiations meant confirmation of the title eliminator against Radovan dragged on until late October.

Head coach Isaac Peach said the postponement wasn’t easy news to break to his fighter.

“I felt like I was going to tell him someone died, to be honest, it was terrible.

“He’s trained so hard, but such is life. He’ll have a couple of weeks off and then he’ll back in the gym getting ready for the same fight.”

Mikhailovich, who usually trained six days-a-week, would train just three times during his “time off”, before returning to his normal schedule.

Peach said while it was heartbreaking, given how hard Mikhailovich had been training, they had to take it in their stride.

“Straight away, it’s really horrible, but then you’ve just got to regroup and get the same goals in mind, the same fight.

“It’s just boxing, this happens and it’s all part of it. It’s obviously highly frustrating ... but, look, he’s in a world title eliminator.

“If we’ve got to wait a little bit longer, so be it.”

When it takes place, the winner of the fight is in line to earn a shot at unbeaten IBF world title holder Zhanibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan.

Rogelio Medina KO’ed by Jerome Pampellone: Boxer in line for big year after impressive 2023
Christopher Reive

The most recent of those – an 86sec knockout of Rogelio Medina in Whangārei on Saturday night – might have been the statement he needed to lure a highly-ranked fighter down to New Zealand in early 2024.

The bout against Medina shaped up as the toughest challenge of Pampellone’s career. The Mexican held a 41-9 record, had taken some of the best boxers in the world today into the late rounds, and was riding a four-fight winning streak.

Ahead of the fight, Pampellone said he needed to beat his Mexican counterpart “with flying colours” to catch the boxing world’s attention, but even his coach Isaac Peach didn’t see him stopping the fight in such an emphatic fashion.

“Nah not that fast, man. Definitely not,” Peach said. “I was completely shocked. I was thinking six rounds, eight rounds, that was the game plan. We were going to try to feel him out, work him, break him down, and knock him out. To do it like that was just unreal.”

In his last six bouts, Medina’s only losses were to interim WBC super middleweight world champion David Benavidez (TKO 8), and former IBF super middleweight world champion Caleb Plant (unanimous decision).

Those results were a key factor in Pampellone’s team booking Medina as an opponent for the surging light heavyweight as they were looking for a true test of the 27-year-old’s abilities.

What was arguably most impressive about the fashion in which Pampellone got the job done was the accuracy of his power shots. Medina was fighting behind a tight high guard, but Pampellone found an angle to land a clean right hand around the guard and connect just behind Medina’s left ear. That shot was the beginning of the end.

“For Jerome just to walk in and knock this guy out and the first round is crazy,” Peach said.

“Jerome’s ready for a world title shot, 100 per cent.”

Pampellone went into the bout ranked at No. 7 in the world with the IBF, but Peach was hopeful his fighter would rise as high as No. 3 after the win. That would put him in a good spot to chase a world title in 2024, though earning a shot would still likely be at least one win away.

However, Peach was confident that if Pampellone was moved up the rankings his promoter Dean Lonergan would be able to lure a top-level talent to New Zealand – potentially in a world title eliminator – for a card to be headlined by Pampellone, indicating a date in April was the current plan.

“We’re close, but we will keep fighting until we get that shot,” Peach said.

“Dean now knows the potential of what he’s got with Jerome. I think Jerome could potentially be the best fighter ever to come out of this country. I think he’s starting to show that and I think we can bring someone down here.”

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Andrei Mikhailovich 'frustrated as hell' as injury curse strikes again to delay world title quest
Sam Wilson
17:00, Jan 12 2024

Andrei Mikhailovich hasn't fought since halting Venezuela's Edisson Saltarin in the fifth round last April.
A “frustrated as hell” Andrei Mikhailovich must be wondering if he'll ever catch a break.

For the past six months, the unbeaten Kiwi middleweight has been waiting patiently to fight in a final eliminator to determine the next challenger for the IBF world title held by Kazakhstan's Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs).

Ranked fourth with the IBF, Mikhailovich (20-0, 12 KOs) was slated to face No 3-ranked Denis Radovan (17-0-1, 8 KOs) on December 16 in Sunderland, England, only for the German to pull out at the 11th hour, citing an injury.

Radovan's late withdrawal saw the IBF lose patience with him and order Mikhailovich to take on the next available contender in their rankings.

That was Mexican-American Elijah Garcia (16-0, 13 KOs) a 20-year-old prodigy from Phoenix, Arizona who has set himself the bold target of becoming world champion by the age of 21.

Elijah Garcia was next in line to fight Andrei Mikhailovich before sustaining an injury in training camp.
Mikhailovich's promoter Dean Lonergan swiftly opened talks with Garcia's representatives, Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), with a view to arranging a bout in late March or early April in the United States.

Matters may have been complicated somewhat by PBC inking a fresh broadcast deal with Amazon Prime after the end of their contract with US network Showtime, but Lonergan remained hopeful a deal could be struck in a timely fashion.

“We were supposed to have a deal done at the end of Christmas, but of course at Christmas, everyone goes on holiday, including myself,” Lonergan said.

“So I asked for an extension from the IBF to get the deal done.”

But there would be no deal struck in the end as in an unfortunate turn of events, Lonergan received a call from Garcia's promoter this week informing him their fighter had been injured in training and wouldn't be available for a March date, leaving the Russian-born Mikhailovich out in the cold once more.

Lonergan anticipated the IBF would go down its rankings to find another adversary, but in a surprise move, the New Jersey-based alphabet body opted to reinstate his original opponent.

“They told us a few days ago that Garcia was out, and they said the next day that Radovan was back in, so we are in discussions with Wasserman [Radovan's promoter] right now to secure a date as quickly as we can,” Lonergan explained, calling the back-and-forth saga “an exercise in frustration”.

Still, the veteran promoter was pleased to have Radovan back in Mikhailovich's crosshairs as he believes he's an easier proposition than Garcia and someone the Aucklander beats “every day of the week”.

“Andrei Mikhailovich is a very special fighter. He's a very good-looking young man, he's fantastic in the media, he's a unique and different personality and he's got a great backstory,” Lonergan said of the charismatic 26-year-old, who was rescued from a St Petersburg orphanage as a toddler.

“But most importantly, since he teamed up with [trainer] Isaac Peach, he's learned a very aggressive style of fighting. He comes to fight and he's a great entertainer.

“He showed in his last fight (a fifth-round TKO of Venezuela's Edisson Saltarin in April) when he got put on his arse and got straight back up and back into the fight that he's got plenty of toughness about him.

“I think Andrei is going to be a very big star, not only in New Zealand but internationally.”

Lonergan said that “in a perfect world” the rescheduled bout would take place in the UK in late March to give Mikhailovich enough time to prepare for the biggest fight of his career.

He added that while Mikhailovich had been annoyed by his lack of activity, he also understood the “process we are going through”.

“We've sat him down, Isaac and myself have taken him through the rules and said 'this is how it works, I'm as frustrated as you are'.

“But the whole point of Andrei fighting, and Jerome [Pampellone] fighting and Mea [Motu] fighting is to become world champions. Andrei has a real opportunity in front of him to fight for a world title, he just has to win one more fight.”

Meanwhile, another of Lonergan's fighters, Lani Daniels, has been forced to vacate one of her two world titles.

Daniels (10-2-2, 1 KO) made history in December when she captured the IBF light heavyweight belt with a split decision victory over Desley Robinson to become a two-weight world champion.

It came just seven months after the 35-year-old picked up the vacant IBF heavyweight crown by outpointing Alrie Meleisea.

But now Daniels has been ordered by the IBF to relinquish one of her belts, since the organsation does not permit fighters to hold world titles in two different weight divisions simultaneously.

Lonergan said the news “came as no surprise” with Daniels and her trainer John Conway choosing to give up her heavyweight championship and “chase the bigger fights down lower”.

“Lani is naturally probably a super middleweight, or maybe even a middleweight, and has been fighting well above her weight class,” he said.

Daniels is expected to meet Robinson in a rematch at light heavyweight later this year before moving down to the super middleweight division.

Boxing: Isaac Peach’s top Kiwi fighters switching from Dean Lonergan to Australian promoters
By: Liam Napier and Clay Wilson
23 Feb, 2024 11:13 AM

New Zealand’s largest stable of professional boxers has been forced to switch to an Australian promoter after Dean Lonergan’s high-powered financial backers pulled rank at short notice following multimillion-dollar losses.

West Auckland’s Peach boxing stable, which includes highly rated light heavyweight Jerome Pampellone (18-0), rising middleweight Andrei Mikhailovich (20-0) who is scheduled for an IBF world title eliminator in May, and IBO super bantamweight title holder Mea Motu (18-0) have all been released by Lonergan to sign with leading Australian promoters No Limit.

The sudden change in promoter played out this week after Lonergan’s D&L Events suffered significant financial losses — understood to be in the vicinity of $2 million — in the past two years.

“I won’t deny that,” Lonergan told the Herald. “Put it this way: it’s a lot. That was an investment to get the boxers to where we needed to be. Jerome is one fight away from the No 2 position and Andrei is right there.”

Lonergan’s D&L Events is half-owned by NBR rich-lister and MetLife founder Cliff Cook, through his Private Health Care company, and his son Neville, who did not respond to requests for comment.

The Herald understands it was the Cooks’ decision to pull the plug on boxing promotion this week.

“I’m not going to argue,” Lonergan said. “At the end of the day, like any investor you assess whether you can get a return. The decision was made that it was unlikely at the moment so we move on. It is what it is. We did a great job for the Peaches and their stable.

“We put a huge amount of money into getting the Peach stable where they are. They’ve done an amazing job, but it’s difficult to see a return. We felt it was smarter for them to go to a bigger platform. They’ve gone to No Limit, they’re the biggest boxing promoters in Australasia and they’ll do a very big job, and we’re pivoting.

“Isaac Peach has one of the best gyms in the world. In the very near future you’re going to see them become world champions.”

Lonergan is adamant D&L Events will continue to operate. He says the bills are paid and that the Cooks remain involved.

While Lonergan has light heavyweight Lani Daniels (10-2-2) signed to a three-fight deal, any major boxing ventures appear off the table for the foreseeable future.

Lonergan has a long-time association with boxing through the Fight for Life events, and formerly with David Higgins at Duco Events as they guided Joseph Parker to the WBO world heavyweight crown in 2016.

Since parting ways with Higgins and Parker, Lonergan promoted boxing in Australia before returning home to sign Pampellone, Mikhailovich and Motu.

“Long term the answer is you never close the door on anything. If you think there’s opportunities in the market you can make work, you’re going to do it,” Lonergan said.

“Is the door closed to boxing? No. I’ve learnt a huge amount on both sides of the Tasman the last 10-15 years. It’s a sport I hugely love. It is what it is. You don’t get too stressed about these things. You pick yourself up and move on. Boxing is a fascinating sport. It’s brutal inside and out of the ring.

“There’s a whole heap of other opportunities that I’ve wanted to pursue for quite some time. When you get caught up in boxing it’s very consuming. As a result of that you don’t get the time to do other projects. There’s some opportunities around rugby league; some around sponsorship and some around other sports.”

Head coach Peach said he was managing the change in promoters so his athletes could focus on their fights.

“You’re always worried about stuff like that. My job is to worry. Their job is to fight, but everything has been smooth,” Peach said.

“It’s been bubbling away for a little while now and the shareholders of D&L Events thought it was a good idea to move them to No Limit so that’s what’s happened. All good things come to an end.

“It’s an opportunity to fight on some bigger platforms. The guys in here are very excited. Change is good sometimes.”

No Limit’s stable is headlined by WBO world super welterweight champion Tim Tszyu and includes Australian middleweights Michael Zerafa and Issac Hardman. The promotional change is expected to have Pampellone and Mikhailovich fight regularly in Australia.

“I got David Light to a title fight with No Limit and heavyweight Kiki Leutele is with them at the moment, so things have been great, they’re very professional,” Peach said. “Nothing changes with the fighters. Their job is to train. We’ll carry on doing what we do.

With the biggest fight of his career two and a half-months away Mikhailovich, the 26-year-old Russian-born prospect, brushed off the change.

“It’s been fun working with Dean, but all good things come to an end. Everyone has been really open and honest with what’s happening. We want to go to the top of the world. It is what it is.”

Mikhailovich last fought 10 months ago as opponents for his IBF world title eliminator suffered multiple setbacks, but that fight is now scheduled against Germany’s Denis Radovan, on May 11 in the UK.

“It has been a long wait, frustrating at times, but I’ve been in the gym the whole way through. I felt l’ve got better and better so I’m excited to go put a show on.

“I haven’t had a lot to do with No Limit. They’re fantastic promoters and doing a great job with Tim Tszyu and they’ve got quite a few good middleweights. Zerafa is fighting Erislandy Lara for the WBA world title in March.

“I have to focus on my fight coming up and then go from there. I believe I’m going to win and then look to fight [unbeaten] Kazakhstan IBF world champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly straight away. It’s exciting. This is what I do for work.”