Undefeated Colombian knockout artist Santander “Cha Cha” Silgado (23-0, 18 KOs), promoted by Havoc Boxing Promotions, is prepared to shock the boxing world this Monday (Dec. 17) in Russia when he challenges World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight champion Denis Lebedev (24-1, 18 KOs).
WBC No. 8 rated-Silgado, the reigning WBC FECARBOX and WBA Fedelatin cruiserweight champion, isn’t intimidated fighting Lebedev in his backyard. A year ago, Lebedev captured the interim WBA crown with a 12-round “shutout” decision over future Hall of Famer James Toney, and he successfully defended that title this past April with a second-round knockout of Shawn Cox.
“I don’t feel like I have to overcome anything because,” Silgado claimed, “at the end of the day, it is only going to be Lebedev and me in the ring. None of his fans, or members of his team, will be in the ring with us. My prediction is the same as it’s been since I signed for this fight; I’m going to shock the world when I win to become the new cruiserweight champion of the world. I have the conditioning and knowledge, and I’ve trained hard to beat this guy.”
Trained by former world champion Kosta Tszyu, Ring Magazine’s No. 4-ranked Lebedev has also defeated another future Hall of Famer, Roy Jones Jr., as well as former world champion Enzo Maccarinelli and past European champion Alexander Alekseev. Lebedev’s lone loss as a professional was by a controversial 12-round split decision in 2010 to World Boxing Organization (WBO) cruiserweight title-holder Marco Huck.
“Lebedev is very strong,” said Silgado, who now lives in Brooklyn (NY). “His style is very different. You don’t see many people like him. He comes forward and stops a lot of guys because of his constant pressure, but that will be different when he gets in the ring with me. I’m going to make him fight my type of fight. I’m going to make him look for punches that are never going to be there.”
