Deontay Wilder will return to the ring against Tyrrell Herndon in Kansas on June 27.
The former WBC heavyweight champion has not fought since a knockout defeat to Zhilei Zhang last June, but a win over Herndon could propel him back into contention for another big-name bout.
The influential Turki Al-Sheikh, chair of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia, had suggested in January that he would still like to make a fight between Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Joshua has suffered a “minor setback” in training, which requires a recovery period of around six weeks.
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Sky Sports News reporter Michael Bridge speaks to Eddie Hearn about the next steps for Anthony Joshua, saying a rematch with Daniel Dubois or a match up against Tyson Fury would ‘stoke the fire’
The British star has recently been linked with a fight against Joseph Parker, but is also pursuing Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois as potential opponents.
“He [Joshua] still thinks that physically he has a lot to give, so this is the final roll of the dice and we’ve got to get it right, we’ve got to be ready and it’s going to be very exciting,” said Hearn.
Herndon has a record of 24 victories with five defeats.
Watch the Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan rematch live on Sky Sports Action from midnight on Sunday morning.
