Salita Promotions has made a significant late addition to the televised lineup of “Big Time Boxing USA” fights this Thursday night (May 23rd), as super middleweight Ali Akhmedov will take on  Encarnacion “Demoledor” Diaz in a ten-round bout at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit to be shown live on DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Akhmedov (20-1, 15 KOs), originally from Kazakhstan, and Diaz (18-4, 11 KOs), from Costa Rica via Nicaragua, will meet in support of the heavyweight ten-round main event between Jermaine Franklin Jr. (22-2, 14 KOs) and ex-U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas (22-10, 9 KOs).

Promoted by GGG Promotions, Akhmedov’s biggest career win so far came in late 2022 when he defeated veteran Gabriel Rosado by dominant ten-round decision in Las Vegas. Akhmedov’s most recent ring appearance was a quick second-round knockout of Venezuela’s then 26-3-1 Carlos Rivero in April of this year.
 
Making the first US ring appearance of his nearly eight-year pro career, Diaz will already be having his third fight this year. In January, he decisioned Edwin Vargas over eight rounds and then in March, he needed just two rounds to dispatch Nicaragua’s Celso Ocampo. After losing his pro debut, Diaz has gone on to win 18 of his next 21 contests, beginning in the welterweight division and going as high as light heavyweight.
 
“This is an excellent addition to an already packed night of boxing,” said event promoter Dmitriy Salita. “Thanks to GGG and Tom Loeffler for their cooperation in making it happen for the fans in attendance and around the world. The addition of this fight just further demonstrates our willingness, and fulfills my personal promise, to work with all promoters to make the best and most important fights in boxing. I believe this is best for the fighters’ careers and for the sport of boxing. This week’s card is the biggest and best BIG TIME BOXING USA event yet!”

In the eight-round co-feature, former national amateur champion Joshua James Pagan (9-0, 4 KOs) of Grand Rapids, Michigan battles fellow undefeated Roger Hilley (13-0, 8 KOs) of Chattanooga, Tennessee at junior welterweight