July 8th was supposed to feature a WBO middleweight title fight between England’s Billy Joe Saunders (24-0, 12 KOs) and power-puncher Avtandil Khurtsidze (33-2-2, 22 KOs), but the fight is now postponed. In a remarkable turn of events, Khurtsidze has been arrested in connection with a New York-based Russian crime syndicate known as The Shulaya Enterprise. He’s been charged with conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), as well as conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, 3 years supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
In a statement released on his official Facebook page, Khurtsidze (translated from Georgian to English) said that this was all a “very serious misunderstanding” and that he hoped everything would be cleared up and he’d continue to prepare for his fight with Saunders.