Sergei Kharitonov-Kenny Garner Rematch Booked for M-1 Challenge 59 in Kazakhstan
Sergei Kharitonov is riding a four-fight post-Strikeforce
winning streak. | Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Months after their first meeting ended in a doctor stoppage, Sergei Kharitonov and Kenny Garner are set to do it again.
Russian organization M-1 Global on Saturday announced that the heavyweight rematch will headline M-1 Challenge 59 on July 3 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
In November, Kharitonov and Garner squared off at M-1 Challenge 53 in Beijing. Former titleholder Garner -- a replacement for Satoshi Ishii -- took down Kharitonov to win the opening round but soon tired and became overwhelmed by the Russian’s standup offense. The bout was halted early in the third round after Garner’s left eye swelled shut from Kharitonov’s repeated right crosses.
Since then, Kharitonov has not returned to the ring, while Garner has collected a pair of victories. “Deuce” defeated Aslambek Musaev via second-round submission in a February win dedicated to late rival Guram Gugenishvili, then returned stateside to punch out Brazil’s Willian Hoffmann on April 3 in Florida.
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