Kovalev-Melikuziev moves to California, adds Quigley-Mosley

The fight was slated to take place in Moscow.

Both Dan Rafael and Mike Coppinger report that the Jan. 30 catchweight clash between Sergey Kovalev and Bektemir Melikuziev, previously slated to land in Kovalev’s native Russia, will now go down in the standard DAZN stomping grounds of Indio, CA’s Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino. You can probably guess the reason, which starts with “C” and rhymes with “bovid.”

This shouldn’t be much of an issue, as both men already train stateside. Uzbekistan’s Melikuziev (8-0, 7 KO) actually fights out of Indio, giving him some home-field advantage.

Despite the change in location, however, “[t]he main event ring walk will be timed for DAZN’s global audience across Eastern Europe.” I’m sure we’re all very thankful that this won’t conflict with Caleb Plant vs. Caleb Truax.

Coppinger also reiterates some earlier reporting of his that Jason Quigley (18-1, 14 KO) will face Golden Boy signee Shane Mosley Jr (16-3, 9 KO) in a fun little middleweight scrap. Both men are currently in the rebuilding stage after rough losses; Quigley got mauled by Tureano Johnson in 2019, while Mosley fell to Brandon Adams in the Contender finals a year prior. Each man beat an overmatched foe in 2020.