Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions won the purse bid to stage a 12-round super middleweight elimination fight for the #1 contender spot between two unbeaten contenders, Detroit-based Russian Vladimir Shishkin and Germany-based Russian Evgeny Shvedenko. The winner of the fight between IBF #8 Shishkin (12-0, 7 KOs) and IBF #3 Shvedenko (15-0, 6 KOs) could be ordered to next face the winner of the unification fight between IBF Champion Caleb Plant and superstar WBC, WBO and WBA champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, expected to happen in September.

The purse bid, held today (June 15, 2021) at the IBF offices in New Jersey, was won by Salita for a bid of $355,000, which eclipsed the bid by Farcher Sport who bid $277,308. The purse bid split will be 60% for Shvedenko and 40% for Shishkin. While no venue or specific date have been hammered down, the IBF further mandates that the fight must take place within 90 days of the bid or by Monday, September 13, 2021.