By Per Ake Persson

Hamburg-based Russian light heavyweight Igor Michalkin, 14-1, joins Frenchman Nadjib Mohammedi, 33-3, as co-challenger for the vacant EBU title. The EBU have set December 18 at noon as deadline for purse bids. Mohammedi will defend the WBA Continental title on November 30 against Oleksandr Chervyak while Michalkin is tentatively set to defend the WBO I/C crown December 20 so a lot can happen.