By Alexey Sukachev
2000 Sydney welterweight gold medalist Mahammetkodir “Mohamad” Abdulaev (15-3, 12 KOs) will resume his pro career after three and a half years of hiatus on Tuesday night in Bekabad, Uzbekistan. Abdulaev, who is best known at paid ranks for his gutsy but limited performance against then WBO light welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, faces Russian trialhorse Sergey Starkov (16-52-2, 2 KOs) in a non-title six-rounder at junior middleweight limit. Shuhrat Haydarov of Favzul Munavvar promotes. Andizhan native Abdulaev, 35, is also known for his kayo wins over ex-champion Philip Holiday and Jesse Feliciano as well as the controversial tenth-round knockout loss to Emanuel Clottey back in 2003. In his last bout, he dropped a close unanimous decision to Ukrainian Andrey Kotelnik in November 2005.
