In the past I have regularly complained about how meaningless the WBA "interim" title is, and we see this issue raising it's head twice this weekend. We see it at Flyweight with Juan Carlos Reveco having a "stay busy" fight against Julian Rivera and we also see it in the Ukraine as the WBA's "interim" Super Middleweight title is on the line as Stanyslav Kashtanov (29-1, 16) faces compatriot Server Yemurlayev (22-0, 8) in what can only be described as having a title for titles sake.
The Super Middleweight division, as we all know, revolves around American star Andre Ward who is the WBA's "Super" champion and the WBC champion. Then we have Carl Froch (IBF champion), Arthur Abraham (WBO champion) and in December we will crown a new WBA "regular" champion as Brian Magee faces Mikkel Kessler. As well as this bunch of top class fighters we also have top contenders such as Lucien Bute, Robert Stieglitz, Andre Dirrell and Kelly Pavlik. Basically the division is stacked and sadly neither of the fighters fighting for WBA "interim" title deserves to be mentioned alongside the elite.
Of the two men Stanyslav Kashtanov is the better known fighter having been unlucky not to have actually claimed this very same title 15 months ago as he was controversially defeated by Karoly Balzsay. In that performance Kashtanov proved that he could hold his own at fringe world level and whilst he was unlucky to lose, he proved that he was perhaps a genuine future title contender.
Sadly however aside from the fight with Balzay, Kashtanov is really unproven with his "next best well known opponent" being Belorussian journeyman Kanstantsin Makhankou (who has genuinely fought a who's who, though sadly seems to have retired). This would suggest that whilst Kashtanov has got ability his actually level is really hard to determine.
Whilst I don't know a lot about Kashtanov it's fair to say I know a lot more about him than I know about Server Yemurlayev who turned professional in 2007 and has yet to face a really notable opponent, with the best opponent probably being Bernard Donfack.
What we do know about Yemurlayev is that he's not only untested, but has hardly done anything of note. He really has no power (a 36% stoppage rate) and yet has only been 10 or more rounds on 2 occasions, giving Kashtanov a big advantage in terms of rounds fought, ability to score stoppages and tested stamina.
When it comes to this fight it's hard to really say too much about either man, however I do favour that Kashtanov, mixing at a higher level will serve him well here.
Prediction-Kashtanov UD12
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