RIYADH: Anticipation for next weekend’s "Clash On The Dunes" boxing bout has been turned up another notch with the announcement that former WBC champion Dillian Whyte will return to the ring for the night’s undercard, taking on Polish fighter Mariusz Wach.
The British Heavyweight contender has landed a spot fighting in the build-up to the Andy Ruiz Jr vs. Anthony Joshua world heavyweight title rematch, taking place at the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia on Saturday December 7th.
Whyte – who defeated Colombian Oscar Rivas to claim the interim World Boxing Council World Heavyweight Title back in July – will take on Poland’s former world title challenger Wach, known as The Viking.
“I’m delighted to be fighting in Saudi Arabia against Mariusz Wach,” said Whyte. “He’s probably got one of the best chins in the heavyweight division.
“I have been training and working hard to fight so it’s great to get a date and it’s very exciting for me to be fighting somewhere different like Saudi Arabia. I want to fight in different places and different settings and this card has the biggest heavyweight fight on it that we have seen in years.
“I’m just going to keep chasing the world titles, so if I keep winning then I hope to land that world title shot in 2020. That’s the plan for December 7th.”
Speaking of the Clash On The Dunes, Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of promoter Matchroom Boxing, said: “This wraps up a huge card for what will be a historic night for the sport.
"Ten big heavyweights will descend on Diriyah to cause a shockwave through world boxing as Saudi Arabia hosts one of the biggest heavyweight fights of all time.”
Elsewhere on the big fight’s undercard, Britain’s Tom Little will be targeting a huge upset when he takes on Azerbaijan’s Mahammadrasul Majidov, the former world amateur champion. Alexander Povetkin of Russia is set for an explosive encounter with American fighter Michael Hunter, while Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic's faces a step-up in class when he goes toe-to-toe with another US-fighter, Eric Molina.
The talented young duo of Leeds Super-Bantamweight Hopey Price (1-0) and Los Angeles Super-Middleweight Diego Pacheco (7-0, 6 KOs) will also be eager to impress.
