Minneapolis boxer and WBA welterweight champion Jamal James will defend his title on Oct. 30 in Las Vegas against Radzhab Butaev.
Jamal James will defend boxing title in Las Vegas vs. Radzhab Butaev
The Minneapolis boxer will fight an undefeated opponent from Russia the day before Halloween.
October 5, 2021 at 12:25PM
![Welterweight boxer and Minneapolis resident Jamal James, whose professional record is 25-1 and who boxes out of Circle of Discipline gym, is seen during his morning workout around Bde Maka Ska Park Thursday, April 9, 2020, in Minneapolis, MN. James had a title fight that was scheduled for this weekend postponed because of the Coronavirus.]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/PGTMDXZ5UCT7SDKZKVZWRPPWZI.jpg?&w=712)
The match will be televised as part of Showtime Championship Boxing, as a mandatory defense of James' title.
"This guy is coming to take it, and we're coming to keep it," said Sankara Frazier, James' trainer and mentor. "This guy is strong. We have height and reach on him. We have experience on him. He's put up a couple of good fights and they put him up for this, so they must think he can do it. But we're in condition and we're ready."
Frazier runs the Circle of Discipline Gym in Minneapolis, where Frazier learned to box. The two prepare for big fights at their training camp in Barnum, Minn.
James is 27-1 with 12 knockouts. Butaev, from Russia, is 13-0 with 10 KOs.
The group of Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi and Ryan Hartman produced the first goal and the game-winner vs. the St. Louis Blues.
