Undefeated heavyweight contender Jared ‘The Real Big Baby’ Anderson 17-0 (15) will get the chance to claim the biggest scalp of his career when he takes on former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder 43-3-1 (42) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California on August 3.
American Wilder, 38, already has a tough fight on his hands when he faces 40-year-old Chinese southpaw Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang 26-2-1 (21) at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 1.
If he comes through that bout unscathed, he will be back in the ring two months later against 24-year-old American Anderson, who WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 34-0-1 (24) has tipped to be the future of the division.
Boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, made the surprise announcement on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
“The talented Jared Anderson is with us now on August 3rd Riyadh Season card at LA against the ‘Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder – if he’s ready by then to fight after 1st of June’s fight against Zhilei Zhang,” Alalshikh posted along with a photo of himself and Anderson.
“I always believe that boxing would be at its peak when you have young American heavyweights like Jared Anderson which I also believe in his talent and his promising future. My advice to him, focus on your future, training and commitment and you will reach to your goals.
“Happy to collaborate with Top Rank again – Riyadh Season card 3rd of August in LA, will be one for the history!”
Anderson and Wilder will join a star-studded card headlined by pound-for-pound talent Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 40-0 (31) challenging WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov 10-0-1 (7).
The main support will see former WBO junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu 24-1 (17) look to get back in the win column against knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr 21-0 (21) in a fight that is sure to produce fireworks.
In the other world title bout on the bill WBA junior welterweight champion Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz 26-2-1 (18) will make the first defence of his belt against Jose Valenzuela 13-2 (9) and David Morrell 10-0 (9) will face Radivoje Kalajdzic 29-2 (21) for the vacant WBA ‘regular’ title at light heavyweight.
Further down the card lightweight Andy Cruz 3-0 (1) will face Antonio Moran 30-6-1 (21) and heavyweights Andy Ruiz Jr 35-2 (22) and Jarrell Miller 26-1-1 (22) will clash in a battle for relevancy.
Anderson was in action earlier this month when he pitched a shutout on two cards against Ryad Mehry 32-3 (26) at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas on April 13.
In the lead up to that bout Anderson nominated Wilder as the boxer he would most like to face next.
“I respect Deontay,” he said to talkSPORT. “I think he has one hell of a punch.
“But he can’t beat me and I’m just going to leave it at that. I’m too much of a well-rounded boxer and I’m going to beat him in great fashion.
“The biggest thing they’ve been telling me is to stay the course and continue to try to get better every day.
“So that when they do pop up with that big name to put me on the map for the world to see, that I am 100-percent ready and that I don’t have to get ready.”