WBA cruiserweight interim champion Denis Lebedev will have four sparring partners at his disposal as he prepares to take on Guillermo Jones, the Russian's manager Vladimir Hrunov told R-Sport on Monday.
Two Americans and two Russians will help Lebedev before the cruiserweight battle with the Panamanian star in Moscow on December 17.
"One of them, Hasan Gimbatov, is very similar to Guillermo Jones in terms of size and style," Hrunov said.
Hrunov was in Jones’ native Panama earlier this month to hold talks with opponent’s promoter Don King, who is to visit Moscow on November 9.
"At a meeting in Panama, we agreed to hold the match in Moscow and signed the deal,” Hrunov said.
“We are continuing to negotiate the details, and I hope that by the end of this week the negotiations will be completed.”
Hrunov said he had already rented Moscow’s Crocus City Hall for December 17.
Earlier, it was believed that the fight will take place in October in Moscow, but the date was shifted with no reason given.
Jones has won 38 of his 43 professional fights, 30 of them by knockout, lost three and drawn two.
The fight would be Lebedev’s second shot at a full title after a controversial loss to German fighter Marco Huck in a bout for the WBO belt in 2010, which is the only mark on an otherwise spotless 24-1 record for the Russian southpaw so far.
