Talk has been heating up of late that former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew might come out of retirement to challenge WBC bridgerweight champion Lukasz Rozanski – but now it seems the Pole is heading for a big-money fight in Saudi Arabia.
Although fast-rising Middle Eastern promotional outfit Skill Challenge Entertainment has not yet confirmed it, BoxingScene.com is reporting that Rozanski is set to defend his title against Badou Jack in late Autumn.
Sweden’s Jack is a multi-weight champion who has 28 wins to his name including against the likes of Anthony Dirrell, from whom he won the WBC super middleweight title, George Groves and Lucien Bute.
He won the WBC super-middleweight title against Dirrel, then the WBC light-heavyweight title against Adonis Stevenson, and last time out became the world cruiserweight champion with a win over Ilunga Junior Makabu, who himself lost in a vacant cruiserweight title bout against Tony Bellew in 2016.
Jack was discussed as a potential opponent for Saul Cannel Alvarez until a proposed catch-weight of 180-pounds plus a punishing rehydration clause scuppered the negotiations. Now 39, it seems he has been lined up for a world title opportunity in a fourth division.
Rozanski meanwhile, beat Alen Babic and Artur Szpikla by knockout in his last two outings. He was ordered by the WBC back in June to negotiate a mandatory defence against Kevin Lerena.
While no official word has yet come from the organisation, Polish boxing website Bokser.org suggests that Lerena will step aside to allow Rozanski and Jack to come to blows, leaving Bellew out in the cold.
Bellew is now 40 and has not been seen in the ring since his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk back in 2018. The ‘Bomber’ has made it clear the only way he makes a return is to become a two-weight world champion.