Poland can now claim the biggest fight on the boxing schedule—at least from a physical standpoint.

Former title challenger Mariusz ‘Viking’ Wach has been tabbed to headline a show in his home country, as the 6’7 ½” heavyweight will face veteran trialhorse Kevin Johnson atop a June 12 card at Pa?ac w Konarach in Konary, Poland. The event—which was first reported by ESPN Knockout’s Julius Julianis—will stream live Pay-Per-View through EventTV.global (PLN 20/$4.75 USD) and will be closed to the public. Designated essential personnel will be the only people permitted to enter the facility, providing they comply with all guidelines as instituted by national health officials.

“At the moment, we have a promise from the (Ministry of Health for the Republic of Poland) that we can make this event, Rafal Biernacki, Wach’s manager and head of Wach Boxing Team—whose outfit will present the show—told BoxingScene.com. “The show will be without an audience but will air live for all the world to see.”

Wach (35-6, 19KOs) has not fought since a 10-round loss to England’s Dillian Whyte last December in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. Both heavyweights took the fight on short notice, with neither giving a particularly good account of themselves—a statement which could made for Wach’s 2019 campaign as a whole.

The one-time heavyweight contender—who went 12 rounds with then-lineal champion Wladimir Klitschko in their November 2012 championship clash—has dropped four of his last six starts, with his 2019 run bookended by losses. The year began with a disappointing 8th round stoppage at the hands of heavyweight prospect Martin Bakole last April.

“Bakole has some unfinished business with The Viking,” insists Biernacki. “That’s why we chose Kevin for this fight because of his last fight with Bakole (Johnson took the October 2019 fight on short notice and was stopped in five rounds). Mariusz was not in his best shape for his fight with Martin and was stopped. He overtrained and had nothing on fight night.

“Now, we need to get him back in the ring.”

Johnson (34-16-1, 18KOs)—a 40-year old from Lawrenceville, Georgia by way of Asbury Park, New Jersey—has spent most of the past eight years fighting overseas, particularly in Germany and England. He will enter this fight having lost his last four, including a rare stoppage loss at the hands of Bakole in his most recent start.

The show announcement comes on the heels of a pair of cards to have taken place over the weekend in separate parts of the world.

Boxing events were staged in Nicaragua and South Korea—both taking place at roughly the same time, serving as the first shows to occur since the global spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in mid-March. The show in Nicaragua aired live on ESPN Deportes and with fans in attendance although spread out in compliance with MINSA (Ministeria de Salud, which translates to Ministry of Health) standards. Everyone entering the venue had to submit to a health screening and wear protective masks at all times.

Similar measures will be taken for the show in Poland, which is a time-marking fight for Wach who eyes a big 2020 run. The 40-year old from Krakow was in line to face unbeaten heavyweight contender Agit Kabayel, only for such a pairing to fall through along with thousands of other bouts over the past seven weeks due to the ongoing global health crisis.

“We are still interested in fighting Agit,” insists Biernacki. “We just need to stay busy and be ready for when everyone is ready to reschedule that fight.”
 The show will also include two prospects under the Wach Boxing Team banner, as Serhii Huk (1-0, 1KO) faces Tomasz Piotrowski (1-1, 1KO) in a four-round lightweight battle. Ordinarily the two would be paired in separate bouts, but travel limitations has forced event handlers to match them head on and with the rest of the undercard to likely only feature boxers in country.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox