Oleksandr Usyk will face the first mandatory challenger for his unified titles, Daniel Dubois, in Wroclaw, Poland on August 26.
The bout represents the first championship action on the heavyweight scene this year, and Usyk’s second defence as champion following his rematch with Anthony Joshua last August.
Dubois, 25, will enter the ring an underdog to take the belts back to Britain.
His hype as the next big thing in the division was stunted slightly after a loss to Joe Joyce, but he beat Trevor Bryan to win the WBA Regular belt and land himself in the position to compete for the full world title.
A shaky victory over Kevin Lerena – in which he was dropped three times in the first round – saw him hang on to the mandatory fight, which is now being promoted by Usyk’s team, K2, and broadcast on TNT Sports Box Office – formerly BT – in the UK.
At the kick-off press conference, the fighters came face-to-face for the first time.
Usyk – who was formerly undisputed in the cruiserweight ranks and is looking to do the same with in the heavies – thanked the men and women who were currently defending Ukraine. The fight will take place two days after the country’s independence day.
Poland is the closest the fight can go to Usyk’s nation, and his promoter, Alex Krassyuk, expects a 43,000 strong attendance at the Tarczynski Arena.
Dubois confirmed he was injury-free for the bout – something that wasn’t nailed on following the Lerena fight – and said he would leave Poland as champion.
“I’m ready to take it with both hands. Usyk’s been a great champion, but everything with a beginning has an end, and I’m ready.”
The pair faced off to chants of the champion’s name, and will meet again on Thursday for the London-leg of the press tour.