Vlad Panin Looks To Become Zuffa Boxing 147 lb Champ & Fights With Ryan Garcia And Devin Haney

At the young age of 7, Panin and his mother moved from Russia to the U.S. to seek a better life in the “land of the free.” It was a bold move, but one Panin’s mother was willing to make so her son could make something of himself. “My mom sacrificed her whole life to move me to America to give me a better life and opportunity,” Panin told FightsATW. “Credit to her, she’s just a grinder. She was working 3-4 jobs just so we could afford to stay in the Budget Suites Motel on Las Vegas Boulevard on a weekly stay. My mom is a big reason why I fight. I want to pay that back.”

Growing up in America wasn’t easy for Panin, as he had to deal with being a foreigner and one of the smaller kids at his school, which led to him getting bullied. As fate would have it, this forced Panin to learn how to defend himself, starting with karate but ultimately moving to boxing. Panin continued boxing, and when he later attended UCLA as a young adult, he had the opportunity to join the UCLA boxing team. He joined the team and graduated from UCLA in three years, pushing himself to finish early because he didn’t want to add more debt to his already large student loan.

Panin made his pro debut in November 2017 and has been moving from one club show to another until recently, when he started fighting with Zuffa Boxing. After a major win over Bunch, Panin quickly became an attraction at welterweight for Zuffa and will likely have his next fight sooner rather than later. So, when is his next fight?

“I haven’t been told yet,” said Panin. “I have a feeling they are going to want to have me back soon. Probably early summer, maybe like June. I’m going to be ready. I just want to stay active.”

Like all fighters who have signed with Zuffa, Panin views the Zuffa Boxing title as a chance to boost his profile in the sport. He hopes that opportunity comes before the end of this year and that 2027 brings fights against guys like Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney.

Just like Panin had to take up karate and boxing to overcome the adversity of being bullied, he now has to put in that work as a fighter with a new promotion that streams on a major platform to reach his goals. It’s just a matter of time before we find out if he will reach that goal of becoming a champion or if he will come up short. Keep an eye on Panin as he continues to climb the welterweight rankings.