A little more than a year after a disappointing loss to future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins, former WBA light heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov is ready to take on another credible opponent. On July 25 inside the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Shumenov will face off against B.J. Flores in a 12-round cruiserweight encounter.
"I'm excited to get back in the ring to be a part of this huge fight," said Shumenov in a statement. "Flores is a good fighter with experience, so I expect a very good, entertaining fight. I am very happy to be fighting in Las Vegas.”
Flores has tasted defeat only once, which came via decision against Danny Green five years ago. While Flores (31-1-1, 20 KOs) hasn’t taken on quite the level of competition that Shumenov has, he’s faced a steady stream of quality opponents. The part-time ringside commentator for Premier Boxing Champions hopes that a win over Beibut will open doors to an opportunity he has yet to experience: fighting for a world title.
"Commentating for PBC is something I enjoy, but boxing is my passion. I am a boxer first," said Flores, who fights out of Arizona. "I look forward to proving myself against a former world champion, an Olympian and a guy who is highly respected and regarded. This is the type of fight that PBC wants. Good competitive fights and that is what this is going to be. I'm very eager to be in a position like this. Beibut is a guy that I had always wanted to fight. He is a very good fighter. There is nothing bad to say about him. It is a great opportunity for me."
The televised co-feature is slated to pit two undefeated cruisers against one another in Jordan Shimmell (19-0, 16 KOs) and Isiah Thomas (14-0, six KOs). The event will be televised on NBC Sports Network starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.