By Alexey Sukachev

On the eve of the biggest soccer event of the year – EURO 2012 that will be hosted conjointly by two neighboring Slavic states of Poland and Ukraine – two prominent hotbeds of prizefighting, steadily rising Polish promotional team “Kuznia Boksu” (“The Blacksmith of Boxing”) will stage an unprecedented clash between boxers from both countries.

The show will take place tonight at the city of Rzeszow and will feature a number of Polish prospects and fringe contenders, linked with the famed coach (and manager) Andrzej Gmitruk.

The main part of the event consists of three collisions between experienced Ukrainian veterans and rising Polish stars. The fight, which is labeled as the main one, is a test for undefeated light heavyweight Dariusz Sek (15-0-1, 6 KOs) and Vitaliy Rusal (27-3, 19 KOs). Sek is on the heat streak while the formerly ranked Rusal, 31, has lost his last two via a decision and a knockout to the same opponent, upset artist Olexander Cherviak. The last loss took place more than a year ago, and hard-hitting Rusal has been inactive since then.

A true battle of heart and will can take place in another fight. Middleweight Maciej Sulecki (9-0, 2 KOs) will be crash-tested by former WBA welterweight champion Yuri Nuzhnenko (31-2-1, 14 KOs) in a quantum leap up in class. Nuzhnenko turns 36 tomorrow but still can be too much for a young prospect.

Also in the action, super middleweight Norbert Dabrowski (7-0, 2 KOs) faces another Ukrainian opponent in no-hoper Pawlo Sukmanskiy (0-8-1).

Two more fights feature two ranked Polish fighters in tune-up bouts. Former EBU super middleweight champion Piotr Wilczewski (30-3, 10 KOs) will try to rebound from his loss to Arthur Abraham in March, and WBO #15 rated super featherweight Kamil Laszczyk (8-0, 5 KOs) will also be seen in the ring. The show will be visited by the famed two-time champion of the world and the current heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek.