Unified light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev, boxing's only current titleholder with a perfect knockout percentage, will make a mandatory defense against Meng Fanlong on March 28, Top Rank announced on Friday.
The fight will headline a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card (ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET with preliminary bouts streaming on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET) at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, which is not far from Beterbiev's home base in Montreal.
"Artur Beterbiev is uniquely motivated to put on a show for his Canadian fans, as he returns to Canada as a unified world champion," Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. "Like Artur, Meng was a tremendous amateur. He's fought around the world and will not be intimidated as a challenger in foreign territory."
Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs), 35, a 2008 and 2012 Russian Olympian who moved to Montreal to begin his professional career in 2013, knocked out Enrico Koelling in the 12th round to win a vacant 175-pound world title in November 2017. He has made three title defenses, none bigger than in his last fight. That was in October in Philadelphia, where he knocked out then-undefeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the 10th round of a very competitive fight to unify two world titles and also become the lineal world champion.
"I'm very much looking forward to defending my IBF and WBC titles against mandatory challenger Meng Fanlong on March 28 in beautiful Quebec City," Beterbiev said. "I'm training hard, improving every day, and I intend to perform at my best in front of my Canadian supporters."
The southpaw Meng (16-0, 10), 32, a 2012 Olympian for China, won a unanimous decision against then-undefeated Adam Deines on June 1 in Macao in a world title elimination bout to become Beterbiev's mandatory challenger. Meng returned for a second-round knockout of Gilberto Rubio on Oct. 5 in a stay-busy fight before his chance to fight for the world title.
"I am truly honored to be fighting Artur Beterbiev for the light heavyweight championship," Meng said. "I have worked hard to earn the mandatory position, and I plan on being the first Chinese light heavyweight champion in history. This is just the beginning."
Added Dino Duva of Roc Nation Sports, Meng's promoter: "Team Meng has waited a very long time for his opportunity, and now his time is here. Artur Beterbiev is one of the best fighters in the world, and that's what will make this fight so special for Fanlong. I sincerely believe Fanlong will win and make history. I cannot wait for March 28 in Quebec City."
The date and site came as no surprise, as it has been Top Rank's plan since last month when it took over promotional control of the bout.
Initially, Chinese promoter Longjoy Sports, which has a working relationship with Roc Nation Sports, won a purse bid for the bout on Dec. 30, offering $1.9 million to beat the offer of $1.315 million from Top Rank. But Longjoy Sports eventually defaulted on its bid, giving underbidder Top Rank control of the promotion. Under Top Rank's bid, Beterbiev is entitled to 65% of the money ($854,750), although he will earn more because his contractual minimum with Top Rank for a title defense is larger, and Meng will receive 35% ($460,250).
Undercard
Janibek Alimkhanuly will bring his brand of “Qazaq Style” north of the border. Alimkhanuly, the latest middleweight sensation from Kazakhstan, will defend his WBO Global and WBC Continental Americas belts in a 10-rounder against fellow unbeaten Issah Samir on Saturday, March 28 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.
Alimkhanuly-Samir will open the ESPN-televised doubleheader (10 p.m. ET) featuring WBC/IBF light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev’s title defense against mandatory challenger Meng Fanlong.
The undercard (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET) will see the return of heavyweight contender Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas in a 10-rounder against 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas. Rivas, from Colombia, has made Montreal his home since turning pro in 2009.
“What an undercard we have in Quebec City, as Janibek is truly one of the special young talents in the entire sport,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Oscar Rivas is a dangerous freight train of a heavyweight, and he is in the mix to fight for a world title in 2020. It is going to be an action-packed evening.”
Alimkhanuly (8-0, 4 KOs), who is trained by Buddy McGirt and managed by three-time BWAA Manager of the Year Egis Klimas, represented Kazakhstan at the 2016 Rio Olympics and captured gold at both the 2013 Asian and World Championships. Ranked No. 4 by the WBO, Alimkhanuly took the express lane to contention, besting veteran spoiler Vaughn Alexander in only his fourth pro fight. He went 4-0 with three knockouts in 2019, including a sixth-round knockout over former Canadian and NABO middleweight champion Albert Onolunose last November in Fresno, Calif.
“I only want the toughest competition. That’s why I am a contender after eight pro fights,” Alimkhanuly said. “This is a great opportunity to showcase my skills live on ESPN. I will leave Canada with the ‘0’ on my record. I want to thank Samir for taking the fight, but he won’t be able to solve the ‘Qazaq Style’ puzzle.”
Samir (18-0, 15 KOs) is the latest world-class pugilist from Accra, Ghana, a proud fighting city that has produced world champions Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, David Kotey, Joshua Clottey and Richard Commey, among many others. He represented Ghana at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and turned pro in 2011, knocking out eight opponents in his first year in the paid ranks. Samir won the Ghanaian middleweight title over veteran Philip Kotey in 2015 and, following a nearly three-year layoff, he returned to action in June 2018. He is 4-0 with three knockouts since then and will be making his first professional appearance away from his homeland.
“I am coming to Canada to steal the show,” Samir said. “Every time I enter the ring, I fight for Ghana and our great champions who paved the way. Janibek is skilled fighter, but I know he has not fought anyone like me.”
Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs), who recently signed a co-promotional deal with Top Rank, had an action-packed 2019. He knocked out former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in January and knocked down — and nearly knocked out — Dillian Whyte in July before dropping a unanimous decision for the WBC interim heavyweight world title. Ranked No. 3 by the WBC, Rivas is still in the thick of the heavyweight mix despite the Whyte loss. Vargas (22-6, 9 KOs) revitalized his career in January with an upset victory over 2004 Puerto Rican Olympian Victor Bisbal. Last August, he knocked out then-unbeaten Irish prospect Niall Kennedy in five rounds.
“The past year, I have proven I am one of the world’s elite heavyweights," Rivas said. "This year, my goal is to prove that I deserve my chance to take on the best heavyweight boxer in the world, Tyson Fury, who is also under contract with Top Rank. On March 28, I will smash my opponent with a spectacular ‘Kaboom.’"
In other undercard action on ESPN+:
Wilfried Seyi (8-0, 4 KOs), a native of Cameroon who calls Montreal home, will fight Alan Carrillo (11-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-rounder at super middleweight. Sey represented Cameroon at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and he recently qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
In an eight-round super bantamweight battle, Ismael Camacho Garcia (12-2-3, 5 KOs) will face Montreal-based veteran Vislan Dalkhaev (12-1, 3 KOs), who has won three in a row.
Heavyweight prospect Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello (6-0, 6 KOs), a 2016 Italian Olympian, will face an opponent to be named in an eight-rounder.
Montreal-based super middleweight KO artist Christian “Solide” Mbilli (16-0, 15 KOs) will face Mexican veteran Felipe “El Pinocho” Ugalde (18-1, 15 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
