Sunday 13 November 2016 00:31, UK
Luis Ortiz's heavyweight showdown with Malik Scott tops a Monte Carlo bill, which also features Jamie McDonnell, Stephen Smith and Martin Murray this Saturday on Sky Sports.
The unbeaten Cuban has earned a reputation as one of the most avoided fighters in the heavyweight division, but 'King Kong' could become a future opponent for IBF champion Anthony Joshua after signing a deal with Matchroom Boxing last month.
Ortiz will target a 26th straight victory against Scott on an exciting card that features world title fights for McDonnell and Smith, while fellow Brit Murray faces a must-win clash.
The 37-year-old Ortiz is highly ranked by the WBA and victory over Scott could keep him in contention for a shot at the winner, if Joshua takes on Wladimir Klitschko for the WBA 'super' title in the spring.
But Ortiz could receive a stern test against Scott, who has displayed his slick skills in training, and the Philadelphia fighter claimed a points win over danger man Tony Thompson in his last bout.
Ortiz also defeated Thompson in his most recent outing, halting the American in May, and stopped another world title challenger, Bryant Jennings, last December.
The Doncaster man can stay on course for major fights in the future if he successfully defends his WBA bantamweight title against Liborio Solis.
McDonnell was unable to agree a unification clash with the WBA 'super' champion Rau'shee Warren, but could face the American next year, provided that he overcomes the Venezuelan.
Solis displayed his threat while flooring WBC champion Shinsuke Yamanaka in a points loss and has held world titles at super-flyweight.
Smith will try to win a world title at the second attempt when he challenges WBA super-featherweight champion Jason Sosa, just a few months after the Liverpudlian lost on points to IBF king Jose Pedraza in America.
In that first world title bid, 'Swifty' enjoyed spells of success, but paid the price for a momentary lapse as he was floored during the ninth round on the way to a unanimous decision defeat in April.
Sosa is another tough title holder as the New Jersey fighter climbed off the canvas to stop Javier Fortuna in June, while he also battled to a draw with the heavy-handed Nicholas Walters.
Murray's hopes of another world title shot are resting on his make-or-break battle against Chudinov at super-middleweight.
The St Helens man cannot afford another setback after his points loss to George Groves in June and faces a tough replacement in Chudinov after Arthur Abraham pulled out of a planned rematch.
Chudinov was stopped in the final round of a brutal battle with Chris Eubank Jr, but has won all five of his fights since then.
Watch Luis Ortiz, Jamie McDonnell, Stephen Smith and Martin Murray in Monte Carlo this Saturday, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 2.
