Reigning IBF Intercontinental super-middle champ Oliver Zaren, 18-0 (7 KOs), takes on Belarus southpaw Mikalai Vesialou, 13-1-2 (5 KOs), on January 31 on Primetime Promotions big show at the Sydbank Arena in Kolding, Denmark.
Zaren vs Vesialou is a non-title fight scheduled for eight rounds. If all goes well “The Great Dane” will defend the title in Copenhagen in May.
Also on the bill is former WBC and WBO bantamweight champ Dina Thorslund, 23-0 (9 KOs), coming back against Brazilian Lila Furtado, 11-3 (2 KOs), in a non-title fight scheduled for 10 two-minute rounds at featherweight.
The plan is that the MVP promoted Thorslund shall return to bantamweight and regain the titles she was forced to give up when she got pregnant earlier this year. She then had a miscarriage and is now looking to come back after well over a year inactive.
Furtado lost controversially to Ramla Ali July 11 in New York last time out and has never won outside of Brazil.
Junior welterweight Maher Khatib, 4-0 (1 KO), is in tough against Italian Pasquale Barile, 12-4 (4 KOs), who knocked out Elias Idrissi on his previous visit to Denmark.
Newly crowned EBU Silver super bantamweight Melissa Mortensen, 8-0 (5 KOs), is in against England’s Tori-Elllis Willetts, 7-1 (1 KO), over eight rounds.
Middleweight Victor Hoveling, 9-0 (9 KOs) will fight an opponent to be announced.
Topping the bill is local hero, WBO No. 4 Jacob Bank, 17-0 (9 KOs), defending the WBO Global title against William Scull, 23-1 (9 KOs).
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Agon Sports promoted Cuban bridgerweight Julio Cesar la Cruz, 4-0 (4 KOs), has been named mandatory challenger for WBA champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov, who is 6-0 (3 KOs).
When, where and even if they will meet is still open.
The Cuban is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner who turned pro for real with Agon Sports earlier this year but was 3-0 before that. He stopped Dilan Prasovic in a WBA eliminator that was also for the WBA Gold title April 11 and is thus now ready for his first world title fight.
la Cruz is just back home after participating in the IBA World championships in Dubai where he went 1-1.
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European light heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur, 25-3 (16 KOs), has relinquished his title. Official challenger Italian Luca D’Ortenzi, 20-4 (5 KOs), will now take on the highest ranked available for the vacant title.
At middleweight, newly-crowned champ Bilel Jkitou, 21-2 (8 KOs), has Michel Soro, 38-4-2 (27 KOs), as mandatory challenger. No date has been for purse bids for this all-French mega-fight.
At junior middleweight Milan Prat, 29-1 (23 KOs), has Reda Kham, 18-1 (4 KOs), as mandatory challenger in another all-French matchup.
At welterweight, newly-crowned champ Egidijus Kavaliauskas, 25-3-1 (19 KOs), inherited Belgian Anas Messaoudi, 17-0-1 (11 KOs), as mandatory challenger when he beat Samuel Molina to win the title with January 8 as the deadline for purse bids or agreements.
The winner then has ex-champ Molina, 32-4-1 (15 KOs), as mandatory challenger.
Newly-minted junior featherweight Shabaz Masoud, 15-0 (4 KOs), meets Italian veteran Alessio Lorusso, 30-5-2 (10 KOs), as mandatory challenger. No date has been set for purse bids.
The winner has Dennis McCann, 16-0-1 (8 KOs), as mandatory challenger.
Bantamweight champion Cristian Zara, 16-2 (3 KOs), defends the title against Frenchman Elie Konki, 15-2 (1 KO), January 31 in Maurepas, France.
Meanwhile, at flyweight, Conner Kelsall, 13-0 (1 KO), and Italy’s Joel Santos, 8-0-2 (2 KOs), square off for the vacant title March 28 in Rotherham.
