Unbeaten heavyweight Jared Anderson will make a swift return to the ring and take on Ukraine’s Andriy Rudenko in Tulsa next month, live on Sky Sports.
Anderson (15-0, 14kos) will face Rudenko in a 10-round contest on August 26 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, less than two months after defeating former world champion Charles Martin in his hometown of Toledo.
The 23-year-old ended his first 14 fights in six rounds or less before claiming an unanimous decision victory over Martin in his most recent contest, with his latest test his third appearance of the year so far.
Jared Anderson celebrates after defeating Charles Martin earlier this month
“This is another great test for Jared,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “When you watch him fight, you are seeing a future heavyweight champion of the world.
“Rudenko is a crafty veteran who has been in there with some top guys. The fans at Hard Rock Tulsa are in for a real treat.”
Anderson is currently ranked seventh in the world by the WBO and ninth in the world by the WBC, with “Big Baby” on track to challenge the division’s biggest names.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Roy Jones Jr gave Jared Anderson an inspirational talk after training ahead of his clash with Charles Martin and reduced the gifted heavyweight star to tears
“I want to stay active and make my case that I am the present and future of the heavyweight division,” Anderson said. “Rudenko is a tough, durable veteran. I respect what he’s accomplished in the game, but he’s going to regret accepting this challenge.”
Rudenko (35-6, 21 KOs) is a 39-year-old with more than 16 years of pro experience. He was 24-0 before losses to then-undefeated contenders Lucas Browne and Hughie Fury. In recent years, he has lost via decision to form world champion Alexander Povetkin, reigning European champion Agit Kabayel, and top contender Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang.
“This is a tremendous opportunity, and I am coming to Tulsa to score the big upset,” Rudenko said. “I dedicate this fight to the people of Ukraine, and I can’t wait to show everyone that I still have what it takes to perform at the highest level.”