Every year brings a new crop of rising stars to the world of boxing, and 2023 is no exception. Several athletes who competed in the 2022 Commonwealth Games have since turned professional and are poised for a successful first year in the sport. He has been a consistent favorite for Boxing Betting Online a casinoshub.com for all his fights so far. With his growing reputation, many are wondering if Mikhailovich is poised for even greater success in the coming year and whether it could lead to a world title shot.
Early Career
Mikhailovich was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia in December 1997. However, he was adopted when he was just 18 months old, along with his twin brother, which led to him making the move to New Zealand, which he has represented throughout his boxing career. He made his first steps into the world of boxing at a very young age, but many experts have claimed that his run as an amateur was nothing more than ‘decent’. Mikhailovich landed several honors during these years, including claiming the North Island Golden Gloves Championship. He also challenged for the New Zealand national championships. But, it was during this period that he was introduced to Isaac Peach, who would later become his manager and coach after turning professional.
Professional Debut
After doing the rounds as an amateur, Mikhailovich finally decided to turn pro in 2018. His reputation reached new heights in his first 12 months as a professional, as he defeated a number of credible rivals. His first pro fight was staged at ABA Stadium in Auckland, as he claimed a second-round stoppage victory against Rob Ramsey. He was more workman-like in his second bout, as he won via unanimous decision against Jerome Pascua.
That was a victory that put him firmly on the map, as Pascua was an opponent with proven experience at competing for national championships. Mikhailovich then landed a huge victory over Adrian Taihia, before defeating IBO Oceania champion Chase Haley. This ring time set him up perfectly for his first huge showdown against a rival.
Jackson Rivalry
After dispatching several credible contenders, Mikhailovich took a giant step up in opposition as he came up against former top-ten-ranked WBO contender Gunnar Jackson. It was a grudge fight between the pair, as the Kiwi had previously called out Jackson for a fight. To add even more interest, Mikhailovich’s trainer had previously beaten Jackson during his professional career.
Mikhailovich was excellent in the biggest fight of his career to date, as he won every round on his way to claiming a unanimous decision success. The win also saw him claim a first title, as he got his hands on the New Zealand National Middleweight title. He later added a second honor after beating Marcus Heywood for the PBCNZ Super Middleweight prize.
Hanan Rivalry
Following a TKO win over Shay Brock, Mikhailovich returned to the ring in June 2021, as he competed in another grudge showdown, this time against Alex Hanan. The two first locked horns in 2018, as Hanan made comments about Mikhailovich before the Russian-born star declared that he wanted to fight Hanan just a few months later.
The intense hatred between the fighters was evident in the lead-up to the first bell, as Hanan landed a cheap shot on Mikhailovich before the fight even got underway. However, this didn’t faze Mikhailovich, as he scored a stunning second-round stoppage. The fight put the Kiwi champion on the map with a global fan base as the antics pre and during the fight went viral.
Since that win, Mikhailovich has continued to showcase his dominance in Australia and New Zealand. In his following fight, he scored a second-round win over King Davidson, before he beat Ernesto Espana for the IBF Pan-Pacific and WBO Global middleweight titles. Mikhailovich’s most recent fight ended in a unanimous decision win over Francis Waitai in July 2022.
Conclusion- Will Mikhailovich Earn A Title Shot In 2023?
The main goal for Mikhailovich will be to challenge for a world title at some point in 2023. However, he will likely need to improve his ranking before achieving that target, as he is currently ranked tenth in the IBF middleweight rankings. However, he could earn a title shot in the near future, as that prize was vacated by Gennady Golovkin in February.