By Alexey Sukachev

Former European heavyweight champion and late 00’s fringe contender Alexander Dimitrenko will return into action for the first time in over two years on May 21 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. The towering (6’7’’) Ukrainian, still only 32, will test his skills against veteran journeyman Taurus Sykes (25-8-1, 7 KOs).

The bout will most probably be a part of another heavyweight collision between local hero Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (12-0-1, 10 KOs) and Damon McReary (15-4, 11 KOs). It is to be noted that the latter bout is still listed to take place on June 4 by the BoxRec.

Dimitrenko, who kicked off his career in 2001, held the EBU belt in 2010-2012, and also has wins over such notables as Vaughn Bean, Malcolm Tann, Luan Krasniqi, Michael Sprott and Albert Sosnowski. He is also known for a couple of his losses against elite opposition – he was outpointed in 2009 by Eddie Chambers in the WBO eliminator, and then stopped in the twelfth by Kubrat Pulev in 2012.

Sykes, 39, is also best known for his losses, as he was stopped in two by future champion Samuel Peter in 2005, outpointed by another champion Hasim Rahman in 2007, and then dismantled by Alexander Povetkin (also a future titlist) in 2008. Sykes was out of the ring for four and a half years but came back with a decision loss to Yasmany Consuegra in March 2015.