A new edition of the IBA Champions' Night is in the final stages of preparation. It will take place on in the Russian city of Ufa on 20 April. Russian Artur Subkhankulov will face Romanian James Chereji in the main event. This will be the main event with a title on the line, the IBA European Championship 70kg. The venue will be the Salavat Yulaev Ice Palace in Subkhankulov's home town.

The winner of the main event will be the first to wear the belt. The Russian will be looking to maintain his unbeaten professional record of seven fights and seven wins. Chereji has taken part in an IBA Champions' Night before, losing to Serbia's Pavel Fedorov in Serpukhov in August 2023.

Pavel Sosulin will be looking to make it three wins on the IBA Champions' Nights when he takes on Congo's Emmany Kalombo in an eight-round 71 kg bout. The Russian has previously beaten American Alexis Espino and Turkey's Fatih Keles and he remains unbeaten as a professional. His last defeat came at the 2023 IBA Men's World Boxing Championships against France's Moreno Fendero.

Kalombo has an impressive knockout record, winning 17 out of 18, with his only defeat coming to WBA super welterweight champion Israil Madrimov. He will be a tough challenge for Sosulin.

Another local favourite is Danis Gabdrafikov. He returns to Ufa for the first time in his career. He made his professional debut three years ago. The 25-year-old has won all three of his professional bouts so far, but will face world bronze medallist and two-time Asian Championship gold medallist Bobo-Usmon Baturov of Uzbekistan in the 67kg category. Russia's Bekkhan Israilov will make his professional debut at the IBA against Kazakhstan's Nursultan Amanzholov in the +92kg category. The Kazakh's only professional defeat came at the hands of World bronze medallist Lazizbek Mullojonov of Uzbekistan.

Other six-round bouts include unbeaten Gor Khachatryan (Russia) and Elnur Samedov (Azerbaijan) at 63.5kg, and Dmitriy Zakharov (Russia) and Syrgak Abdyzhapar (Kyrgyzstan) at 71kg. Leon Antonyan (Russia) vs. Azizbek Abdugofurov (Uzbekistan) in a ten round fight at 76.2kg. Antonyan defeated Maxim Smirnov at the 2023 IBA Champions' Night in Moscow. Abdugofurov is a former WBC super middleweight silver title holder.