REFEREE MARK NELSON AND JUDGE MIKE FITZGERALD ASSIGNED TO IBF ELIMINATOR BOUT THIS FRIDAY IN TAJIKSTAN

Referee Mark Nelson of Saint Paul, MN and Judge Mike Fitzerald of Janesville, Wisconsin have been assigned to work this Fridays IBF junior lightweight Eliminator bout featuring Former IBF champion Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov (17-1-1, 14 KO’s) of Bokhtar, Tajikistan (residing in California) against Eduardo Nunez (26-1, 26 KO’s) of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. The action takes place at the Tennis Palace and Water Sports Complex in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Nelson told MN Boxing that the IBF has granted formal sanction approval for the IBF Jr. Lightweight Eliminator for #1 between #3 rated Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov and #4 rated Eduardo Nunez. The bout is scheduled for February 16, 2024 in Dushambe, Tajikistan. He says the winner of this fight will meet Joe Cordina, who Rakhimov lost his title to.

This Friday will be Nelson’s 970th time refereeing a professional boxing match and he will be the first American ever to referee in Tajikistan which has hosted 9 pro boxing matches in it’s country’s history.

Mike Fitzgerald will be the first American to judge in Tajikistan and has been judging all over the Midwest, USA since 1992. If you have been to a boxing card in Minnesota or Wisconsin chances are high that he has been a judge on that show. Included among the great Minnesota matches he has worked is the 2007 MN state title/IBA America’s Middleweight title bout between Anthony Bonsante and Matt Vanda. Fitzgerald along with Patrick Morley authored the book “Third Man in the Ring” which featured Mark and Denny Nelson and 31 other famous boxing referees.

Tajikstan is located North of India is 11 hours ahead of Minnesota’s Central Standard Time (fight time will be at roughly 8 AM CST).