Russian boxer Umar Salamov has challenged World Boxing Council bridgerweight world champion Riad Merhy to a fight following a title victory in Grozny.
The 32-year-old Russian fighter announced his challenge after defeating Kazakh opponent Ali Baloyev on the night of August 16 to 17, 2026. Salamov won the contest by unanimous decision after all three judges scored the bout in his favor, securing the vacant International Boxing Federation European Cruiserweight title.
Speaking to Russian sports publication Sport-Express after his victory, Salamov confirmed that he had claimed the European championship belt and stated that his next objective was a world title. He said that Merhy represents the single true world champion in the division and expressed full readiness to fight him at whatever location is arranged for the bout.
Cruiserweight Victory in Grozny
Salamov earned his latest regional belt in Grozny, the capital city of the Chechen Republic in southern Russia. The unanimous decision victory over Baloyev brought the Russian boxer's professional record to 33 wins and two losses.
The vacant title at stake in Grozny was sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation, one of the four major sanctioning bodies in professional boxing alongside the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Association, and World Boxing Organization. The European title serves as a regional championship within the cruiserweight division, which carries an upper weight limit of 200 pounds.
WBC Bridgerweight Title Holder
Merhy holds the World Boxing Council world championship in the bridgerweight division, a weight class created by the WBC between cruiserweight and heavyweight for fighters competing up to 224 pounds. The Belgian boxer captured the vacant WBC title on May 30, 2026, in Charleroi, Belgium, defeating South African contender Kevin Lerena by unanimous decision.
The Belgian champion possesses a professional boxing record of 36 victories, including 29 by knockout, alongside three career defeats. Salamov stated that he knows who holds the world belt and intends to pursue Merhy for his next challenge in the ring.
