Kudratillo Abdukakhorov doesn’t mind the steady stream of southpaws he continues to face, as long as it leads to the one he has been chasing for years.

The unbeaten Uzbekistani welterweight contender is forced to play the waiting game as the IBF mandatory challenger to current unified WBC/IBF titlist and undefeated southpaw Errol Spence (27-0, 21KOs). Abdukakhorov (18-0, 10KOs) earned his place in line following a twelve-round, unanimous decision win over Japan’s Keita Obara in March 2019. The bout was his first in the U.S., though last against a right-handed boxer.

Two consecutive wins versus southpaws have followed for Abdukakhorov, having outpointed former welterweight titlist Luis Collazo before returning from the pandemic with an eighth-round knockout of Javier Flores in March. The 28-year-old welterweight fights in the U.S. for his fourth straight bout, coming versus his third consecutive left-handed opponent in Canada’s Cody Crowley (19-0, 9KOs). The way he sees it, Saturday night will be the perfect prelude to his overdue title shot.

“I gained good experience from the past two southpaws I’ve faced,” Abdukakhorov noted through translator and Hall of Fame promoter Sampson Lewkowicz during Thursday’s final pre-fight press conference. “I will knock out this third straight southpaw and then will go on to knock out Errol Spence.”

The claim was so incredible that it prompted hosting emcee Ray Flores to clarify that Abdukakhrov would knock out both Crowley and Spence in back-to-back fights.

“Yeah,” Abdukakhorov said with a sadistic grin.

It’s a tall order for Abdukakhorov, although sportsbook Bet Online has him as -500 betting favorite to beat Crowley–an Ontario native now based out of Las Vegas—in their Showtime-televised co-feature from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. With a win, Abdukakhorov fully expects to challenge for the welterweight crown—with designs of conquering his fourth consecutive southpaw.

“I’ve wanted my title shot for a long time. “I will win this fight and then will finally get my title shot I know I deserve after waiting for the past three years.”

Abdukakhorov-Crowley is part of a Showtime-televised live tripleheader headlined by the all-Filipino WBC bantamweight title fight between four-division and defending champ Nonito Donaire (41-6, 27KOs) and interim titlist Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20KOs).

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox