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Former WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk is without a promotional deal after Zuffa Boxing ended his contract following his first fight for the company. The Ukrainian boxer said he received an email confirming the termination about two months after his February defeat to Radivoje “Hot Rod” Kalajdzic. Gvozdyk, known as “The Nail,” discussed the decision with vRINGe and explained that the news came after he had already started planning for another fight. “They terminated the contract in February after a loss. That is, every promoter has the option that if a boxer loses, they have the right to terminate the contract. That’s exactly what they did.” He added that he had rested after the fight before starting his next training camp. Gvozdyk’s Zuffa Boxing Contract Ends Gvozdyk joined Zuffa Boxing after a strong career that included a WBC light heavyweight title win over Adonis Stevenson in 2018. He stopped Stevenson in the 11th round and made one successful defense before losing the title to Artur Beterbiev by 10th-round stoppage in 2019. Gvozdyk returned to boxing in 2024 but lost a unanimous decision to David Benavidez. The February fight against Kalajdzic marked the promotional debut of both boxers under Zuffa Boxing. Gvozdyk controlled much of the early action, scoring two knockdowns and building an advantage on the scorecards. The fight changed in the seventh round when Kalajdzic dropped Gvozdyk twice before the referee stopped the contest with the Ukrainian still on his feet. Why Zuffa Boxing Let Gvozdyk Go Despite the competitive fight, Zuffa Boxing used its contractual right to end Gvozdyk’s agreement after the defeat. Gvozdyk said he was surprised by the timing because he believed he was preparing for another opportunity. “After the fight, everyone was saying how great it was. That everything was great. I rested. I started preparing as planned – somewhere around May. And then, around April, they told me I’d received an email terminating the contract.” Zuffa Boxing also ended its agreement with Robert Meriwether after his April loss to Tony Hirsch Jr., showing that losses can quickly affect a fighter’s future with the promotion. What Happens Next for Gvozdyk? Kalajdzic remains with Zuffa Boxing and is scheduled to fight Craig Richards on September 26. Gvozdyk, meanwhile, must now consider his next move at 39 after consecutive defeats. Zuffa Boxing, led by UFC president Dana White, has continued building its boxing roster while making changes when results do not go as planned. Gvozdyk’s departure leaves the former champion searching for another promotional opportunity. His future in boxing remains undecided. What is clear is that his time with Zuffa Boxing ended after just one fight, with the contract allowing the company to move on following his defeat to Kalajdzic. Tap Here To Add Sportsnaut As A Trusted Source on Google