All eyes will be on Moscow this Saturday as the WBA Heavyweight Championship of the world will be up for grabs as Murat Gassiev (33-2-1 NC, 26 KOs) will defend the title against Peter Kadiru (23-1, 13 KOs).
The VTB Arena will host the card as Gassiev looks to continue the legacy of Russian heavyweights, while the challenger seeks the upset. With the specter of former champion Oleksandr Usyk still hanging over the division, Gassiev aims to chart his own course with the title.
Since a split-decision loss to Otto Wallin, Gassiev reeled off three consecutive finishes. Meanwhile, Kadiru travels outside of his home country of Germany for the first time in three years.
Murat Gassiev | IMAGO / ITAR-TASS
Speaking of Usyk, the legend defeated Gassiev by unanimous decision back in 2018 at cruiserweight. Previously, he held two major cruiserweight titles, becoming one of four fighters to unify the division. In all, seven fights populate the card.
Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru CardMurat Gassiev vs. Peter Kadiru – 12 rounds, WBA heavyweight titleJoe Joyce (16-4, 15 KO) vs. Artem Suslenkov (14-0, 9 KO) – 10 rounds, heavyweightsMurad Khalidov (12-0, 6 KO) vs. Arslan Iallyev (17-1, 11 KO) – 10 rounds, heavyweightsSharabutdin Ataev (9-0, 5 KO) vs. Jose Uzcategui (34-5, 28 KO) – 10 rounds, light heavyweightsAleksei Egorov (14-3, 11 KO) vs. David Dzukaev (11-0, 7 KO) – 10 rounds, cruiserweightsTamerlan Ozdoev (5-0, 3 KO) vs. Shivam Jangra (12-3-1, 8 KO) – 10 rounds, lightweightsVyacheslav Rogozin (0-0) vs. RV Deniega (12-3, 8 KO) – 6 rounds, bantamweightsMain Event Prediction
The one aspect that will win the fight for the champion is his ability to stay calm during the championship rounds. There is no stage too large for Gassiev. You will not see fear, maybe nerves, because this is his first defense, but he will shake those off quickly.
Meanwhile, Kadiru steps into the big time. In essence, he is playing with metaphorical house money: if he goes the distance, it’s a moral victory.
However, only one of the champions’ previous eight bouts went the distance, the aforementioned Usyk loss. Now, what can Kadiru do to win the fight? First, he will need to understand pressure and realize that Gassiev is not going to retreat. Then, he needs to beat the champion to the punch and counter, throwing Gassiev off his rhythm.
Lastly, being the bigger fighter means that he should be able to muscle the titleholder. With that said, Gassiev’s left hand becomes the issue as it crashes Kadiru to the canvas in seven rounds.
Prediction: Gassiev by TKO
Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru date
Date: Saturday, July 11, 2026
Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru start time
Time: 2:30 p.m. EST (main event ringwalk approximately 4 p.m. EST)
How to watch Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru
Watch: DAZN
Murat Gassiev vs Peter Kadiru location
Location: VTB Arena, Moscow, Russia
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