WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is to defend his title against Hasim Rahman on the undercard of a July 14 fight between David Haye and Dereck Chisora, a promoter said Tuesday.
Promoter Frank Warren announced the controversial night of boxing would go ahead at Upton Park, the stadium of English Premier League football team West Ham United.
Povetkin's promoter, Vlad Hrunov, told RIA Novosti that the winner of the Povetkin-Rahman bout would get a shot at whomever emeges victorious of Haye and Chisora.
The all-British bout will allow Haye and Chisora to resolve differences that led to an ugly brawl in February in the ring.
Chisora had his license revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control after brawling with Haye in a news conference that followed Chisora's loss to Vitali Klitschko. Chisora also spat in the face of Klitschko's brother Wladimir before the bout.
But the July 14 grudge match against Haye is officially sanctioned because Chisora received a license from the Luxembourg Boxing Association, Warren said.
Povetkin's promoter Hrunov, meanwhile, had earlier said his boxer's title defense against Rahman would take place in Germany.
The switch to London is "the idea of the English promoter," he said, referring to Warren.
"There's huge interest in both fights. There are lots of Russians in London and I think that lots of people will come to the Povetkin-Rahman fight."
Povetkin, who is nicknamed the White Lion and known as a strident Russian nationalist, won the WBA title in August by beating Russlan Chagaev, and has since defended the belt against Cedric Boswell and Marco Huck.
Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic super-heavyweight champion, is undefeated in 24 professional fights, with 16 wins by knockout.
Rahman gained the world’s attention by beating British fighter Lennox Lewis for his three titles in April 2001, but lost the belts in a rematch seven months later.
Rahman’s last high-profile bout was a failed title challenge against Wladimir Klitschko in 2008, although he has won five fights since.
Baltimore-born Rahman has won 50 of his 60 fights, 41 of them by knockout. He has suffered seven defeats, with two bouts ruled draws and one a no contest.
