Murat Gassiev is well known to hardcore boxing fans, but casual boxing and sports fans alike could be about to get to know him a lot better.

Titles on the line and pro records: IBF Champion Murat Gassiev (24-0 1NC 17KO)vs Krysztopf Wlodarczyk (53-3-1 37KO)

Date and Venue: October 21st, 2017 Prudential Center. Newark, New Jersey.

Apparently as difficult to schedule as to predict, with the date and venue just being recently announced, Murat Gassiev actually is the one top seed who could not pick his opponent as Wlodarczyk is already his IBF mandatory challenger.

Gassiev is the young, upsetting newcomer – approaching a challenger who arguably by numbers and otherwise is the most experienced fighter in the division in Wlodarczyk.

That alone makes him dangerous.

Wlodarczyk is also the oldest fighter in the tournament at age 35 but that hasn’t appeared to affect him in the ring, only losing twice in 19 bouts in ten years.

Making six successful defences of the WBC title until losing to Grigory Drozd in 2014, Wlodarcyzk has always hovered near the top of the division for the better part of a decade.

Gassiev is a fresh face coming in from a hard fought split decision win over Denis Lebedev in which he outpaced and dropped Lebedev to get the nod from two judges and the IBF title.

Gassiev simply has too much in terms of youth, strength and talent and Wlodarczyk will not have an answer as his age will finally show in the ring against a wunderkind who is twelve years his junior and will be attacking from all angles.

“Diablo” will escape a stoppage, but not escape defeat.

Outcome: Gassiev, close unanimous decision.