Akhmadaliev Declares Revenge Mission in WBA Title Eliminator Against Gonzalez

Murodjon Akhmadaliev left no room for ambiguity as he declared, "I'm coming to get back what belongs to me."

The former unified junior featherweight titlist is on a mission for redemption, setting his sights on the WBA title in a highly anticipated eliminator against Kevin Gonzalez. This clash is a pivotal step in Akhmadaliev's revenge tour, seeking to reclaim one of the two belts he lost earlier this year to Marlon Tapales.

The Akhmadaliev-Gonzalez showdown is part of a thrilling four-fight DAZN telecast, with the headline event featuring the IBF/WBO flyweight unification championship between Sunny Edwards and Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez. The action is set to unfold this Saturday at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

This bout marks Akhmadaliev's return to the ring since his disputed defeat to Tapales on April 8 in San Antonio. Despite dropping a twelve-round, split decision that ended his WBA and IBF title reign, Akhmadaliev is determined to prove himself once again. Many in the boxing community believed he was unlucky not to secure the victory that night.

Tapales wasted no time capitalizing on his triumph, securing a clash with four-division champion Naoya Inoue for the undisputed championship on December 26 in Tokyo. Eddie Hearn, chairman of Matchroom Boxing and promoter of both the April 8 show and this weekend's event, openly expressed his belief that Akhmadaliev was robbed and should be facing Inoue later this month.

Akhmadaliev, with a record of 11-1 and 8 knockouts, is focused on the task at hand – a victory over the undefeated Gonzalez (26-0-1, 13KOs). This win would position him as the mandatory challenger, putting him back in contention for the coveted title.

Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Akhmadaliev stated, "I thought I won my previous fight. I know I gave away some of the earlier rounds but thought I dominated from round five through the end. None of that matters anymore. I have a tough opponent in front of me. He is the best out of all the available challengers. This will bring out the best in me." The determined boxer remains resolute in his pursuit to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his.