Murat Gassiev

Murat Georgievich Gassiev (Russian: Мурат Георгиевич Гассиев; born 12 October 1993) is a Russian professional boxer. He has held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title (Regular version) since 2025. Previously, he held the unified cruiserweight championship; having held the IBF title from 2016 to 2018, and WBA (Unified) title in 2018.

Gassiev is from Vladikavkaz, the capital of North Ossetia-Alania, and is of Ossetian Iron descent.

Gassiev had a short amateur career, consisting of 25 fights.

Gassiev made his professional boxing debut at the age of 17 on 21 September 2011. He fought at the Manezh in Vladikavkaz, Russia, beating 22-year-old Roman Mirzoev, who only had three professional win-less fights, in a scheduled four-round fight that went the distance, earning a unanimous decision with scores of 40–37, 39–38, and 39–38 in his favour. Gassiev had his second fight in November at the Traktor Sport Palace in Chelyabinsk, Russia, defeating Vladimir Chuklin, knocking him out in round 4. Over the next 18 months, Gassiev remained unbeaten with a record of 11 wins with 7 coming inside the distance at the age of 19.

In June 2013, Gassiev defeated 24 year old Levan Jomardashvili (31–10, 21 KOs) to claim the vacant WBC Youth world cruiserweight title at the Yunost Arena in Chelyabinsk. In round 1, Jomardashvili was dropped twice scoring it a 10–7 round for Gassiev and in round 2, the fight was stopped after Jomardashvili was dropped a further two times. Gassiev defended the title in December against Ivica Bacurin 16–3–1, 7 KOs). The fight went the full 10 rounds as Gassiev won via unanimous decision (98–89, 100–87, 96–91). Bacurin was knocked down once in round 2, in round 8 and in round 10. He also had a point deducted in round 10.

On 1 February 2014 Gassiev fought veteran 31 year old Belgium boxer Ismail Abdoul (51–27–2, 19 KOs). This was the first 12-round fight Gassiev was involved in and it went the whole distance. The scorecards read 120–108, 117–111, 115–113 all in favor of Gassiev. With the win, he also won the vacant IBF East/West Europe cruiserweight title. On 30 August 2014 Gassiev fought on the undercard of WBO cruiserweight title fight Huck-Larghetti at the Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. He knocked out the undefeated Leon Harth (9–0, 6 KOs). Two months later, Gassiev won the vacant IBF Inter-Continental cruiserweight title after stopping Engin Karakaplan in round 1. It was in this year that Gassiev began training with Abel Sanchez.

Gassiev had a busy year in 2015, fighting four times. In January he made his debut in the United States, stopping Terrance Smith in round 4 before fighting his biggest challenge to date, former USBA and NABF cruiserweight champion Felix Cora Jr. (25–6–2, 14 KOs) at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. Gassiev successfully defended his IBF Inter-Continental title in round 9 of the scheduled 12 round fight. Gassiev stalked Cora early with an assault to the body. In round 9, Cora would no longer defend himself, which forced referee Johnny Callas to finally stop the fight.

In June 2015, Gassiev knocked out Rodney Moore in 2 rounds and then fought the undefeated Isiah Thomas (15–0, 6 KOs) on 18 December 2015 at the Palms Casino Resort, in Las Vegas, Nevada in an IBF eliminator. The fight ended after round 3 in a no contest after Thomas was hit accidentally after the bell and could no longer continue following the ringside doctor's orders. Thomas controlled the majority of the 3 rounds before Gassiev landed the hard shots before the fight was stopped.