Murat Gassiev

In January he made his debut in the United States, stopping Terrance Smith in round 4 before fighting his biggest challenge to date, former USBA and NABF cruiserweight champion Felix Cora Jr.. (25-6-2, 14 KOs) at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Gassiev successfully defended his IBF Inter-Continental title in round 9 of the scheduled 12 round fight.

Gassiev stalked Cora early with an assault to the body.

In round 9, Cora would no longer defend himself, which forced referee Johnny Callas to finally stop the fight.

At the Draft Gala, which took place on 8 July 2017, although Gassiev was second-seeded, meaning he could pick whom he wanted to fight, his choice was pre-determined to be former IBF and WBC cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Włodarczyk (53-3-1, 37 KOs) by the IBF, in a mandatory fight.

Murat Georgievich Gassiev (Мурат Георгиевич Гассиев; Гасситы Георгийы фырт Мурат; born 12 October 1993) is a Russian former unified cruiserweight world champion, having held the IBF title from 2016 to 2018, and the WBA (Unified) title in 2018.

As of October 2021, he is ranked as the world's ninth-best active heavyweight by BoxRec.

Gassiev is from Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia-Alania, and is of Ossetian Iron descent.

He had a short amateur career, consisting of 25 fights.

Gassiev made his professional boxing debut at the age of 17 on 21 September 2011.

He fought at the Manezh in Vladikavkaz, Russia, beating 22-year-old Roman Mirzoev, who only had three professional win-less fights, in a scheduled four-round fight that went the distance, earning a unanimous decision with scores of 40-37, 39-38, and 39-38 in his favour.

Gassiev had his second fight in November at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia, defeating Vladimir Chuklin, knocking him out in round 4.

Over the next 18 months, Gassiev remained unbeaten with a record of 11 wins with 7 coming inside the distance at a tender age of 19.

In June 2013, Gassiev defeated 24 year old Levan Jomardashvili (31-10, 21 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC Youth world cruiserweight title at the Yunost Arena in Chelyabinsk.

In round 1, Jomardashvili was dropped twice scoring it a 10-7 round for Gassiev and in round 2, the fight was stopped after Jomardashvili was dropped a further two times.

On 1 February 2014 Gassiev fought veteran 31 year old Belgium boxer Ismail Abdoul 51-27-2, 19 KOs). This was the first 12-round fight Gassiev was involved in and it went the whole distance. The scorecards were read 120-108, 117-111, 115-113 all in favor of Gassiev. With the win, he also won the vacant IBF East/West Europe cruiserweight title. On 30 August 2014 Gassiev fought on the undercard of WBO cruiserweight title fight Huck-Larghetti at the Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He knocked out the undefeated Leon Harth (9-0, 6 KOs). Two months later, Gassiev won the vacant IBF Inter-Continental cruiserweight title after stopping Engin Karakaplan in round 1. It was in this year that Gassiev began training with Abel Sanchez.

Gassiev had a busy year in 2015, fighting four times.

In June 2015, Gassiev knocked out Rodney Moore in 2 rounds and then fought the undefeated Isiah Thomas (15-0, 6 KOs) on 18 December 2015 at the Palms Casino Resort, in Las Vegas, Nevada in an IBF eliminator.

The fight ended after round 3 in a no contest after Thomas was hit accidentally after the bell and could no longer continue following the ringside doctor's orders.

Thomas controlled the majority of the 3 rounds before Gassiev landed the hard shots before the fight was stopped.

It was announced that Gassiev would get another opportunity in an eliminator against #10 IBF Jordan Shimmell (20-1, 16 KOs), whose only defeat came to Isiah Thomas.

Gassiev defended the title in December against Ivica Bacurin 16-3-1, 7 KOs). The fight went the full 10 rounds as Gassiev won via unanimous decision (98-89, 100-87, 96-91). Bacurin was knocked down once in round 2, in round 8 and in round 10. He also had a point deducted in round 10.

The fight took place at the Black Bear Casino in Carlton, Minnesota on 17 May 2016.

Gassiev stayed unbeaten in defeating Shimmell in a 1st-round knockout.

Gassiev knocked Shimmell down with a left hook to the head.

The back of Shimmell's head bounced off the canvas when he was knocked down and was out cold.

Shimmell was also knocked under the ropes when he fell.

The fight was immediately stopped by referee Mark Nelson with just six seconds of round 1 remaining.

With the win, Gassiev was now the IBF mandatory challenger to unified WBA and IBF cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev, who defeated Victor Emilio Ramirez in a unification bout the following week.

It was announced in August 2016, that a fight between Gassiev and unified cruiserweight world champion Denis Lebedev (29-2, 22 KOs) was in the works and a date was set for 3 December 2016 at the Megasport Arena in Moscow.

At the official weigh in on 2 December, Lebedev weighed in at 199.7 lbs as Gassiev weighed 198.3 lbs.

Lebedev successfully applied for only the IBF title to be at stake as a result, retaining his WBA (Super) title in the process.

Lebedev kept the attack up through the 12 rounds as he went on to lose a split decision, losing the IBF title in the process.

Two judges scored it 116-112 and 116-111 for Gassiev as the third scored it 114-113 for Lebedev.

Lebedev was knocked down in round 5, following a left shot to the body, but managed to beat the count and immediately changed style to avoid further punishment to the body.

In the post fight interviews, Lebedev thought he had done enough to win the fight or at least earn a draw and wanted a rematch.

Gassiev entered the World Boxing Super Series tournament when it was announced.

The 8-man knockout style tournament would determine the best in the division and include other top cruiserweight champions and contenders.

It was announced on 8 September by Ringstar Sports that the fight would take place in Newark, New Jersey, at the Prudential Center on 21 October 2017.

One of the main factors for the fight taking place in New Jersey was the Polish population in that state.