By Ryan Burton

Up and coming heavyweight prospect Izu Ugonoh (16-0) returns to the ring on Saturday October 1st on his stablemate Joseph Parker's undercard. Parker goes up against Alexander Dimitrenko while Ugonoh's opponent will be Gregory Tony (21-6).

Ugonoh and Parker's trainer Kevin Barry feels that Ugonoh is a very underrated fighter and that he will sneak up on the heavyweight.

"Izu Ugonoh, I believe is the sleeper in the heavyweight division. He is a tremendous athlete. An undefeated fighter 16-0 with 13 KOs. I have had Izu for 2 years and I believe in the next 12 months that Izu will be in the number position ready to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world," Barry told BoxingScene.com.

The Las Vegas based trainer wants Ugonoh to end the year with a bang.  Earlier this year he performed on Poland's version of Dancing With the Stars which caused him to not have his first fight of 2016 until July.  A potential November fight against countryman Andrzej Wawryyk appears to have fallen through but Barry plans on keeping Ugonoh active.

"After October 1 we are looking to keep him busy. He got off to a slow start to the year when he did Dancing With the Stars in Poland for four months but we hope to make up for it with a busy schedule to end 2016," said Barry who believes his 29-year-old fighter is a future star.

"Izu has been moving up the rankings with the WBO. He is currently #12 and we are lookng for this next fight to be for a regional belt with the IBF (where he is ranked #15) in this next fight. We are looking to move him up with some of the other sanctioning bodies and keep pushing forward with the WBO. Izu is a very explosive, exciting fighter. He is a good looking kid with a tremendous physique with powerful hands.  Not only that but I tell everybody he is the best body puncher in the heavyweight division."

Send questions or comments to ringsidewriter@gmail.com. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ringsidewriter